One Killed As Customs And Smugglers Clash In Ogun State. Photos

One Killed As Customs And Smugglers Clash In Ogun State. Photos

A clash between operatives of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and smugglers took another bloody dimension yesterday, Wednesday, October 7,2018, with the loss of a life.

According to reports, the deceased, a bricklayer, was hit by the Customs’ bullet during the encounter at Ebute community along Ilaro-Ojaodan axis of Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.

However, in a swift reaction to the said killing, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Ogun State Command of the Customs, ASC Abdullahi Maiwada, in a press release made available to Crimepuzzle, said: “Officers of Nigeria Customs Service Ogun Command, on routine patrol based on credible intelligence at about 0830hours, trailed a military truck-head smuggled into Nigeria and kept at Ebute Community. In an attempt to secure the said vehicle, some unscrupulous members of the community mobilized themselves by blocking the access road and started pelting our personnel with stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks and other dangerous items.

“Considering the implication of such truck to national security, our Officers resisted and called for reinforcement to cordon the area for the safe evacuation of the truck.

“Unfortunately, during the encounter, one of the hoodlums was shot at the upper part of his leg (pelvic girdle) and consequently died”.

According to Maiwada, “Normalcy has since returned with the intervention of Police and Military personnel. The truck has been secured at Customs House, Abeokuta for further investigation”.

The PRO commended the patriotic role of sister Agencies, traditional rulers, eminent personalities and some host communities who, he said, have always partnered with the Service in its quest to effectively secure the nation.

However, our source, in a message to the Crimepuzzle, decried what he called “constant killings of unarmed civilians in Yewaland by Customs officials, adding that, “It is sad and awfully lugubrious that customs officials were fingered in the death of several innocent civilians that have been killed and the hospitalisation of several others across Yewaland. This is not a new phenomenon in the operations of Customs in Ogun state and most especially in Yewaland and border areas of the state”