By Ade Jacobs
Clash between officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Lagos and smugglers in Ayetoro, Ogun State has led to the death of one person, while three officers of the unit were critically wounded.
The Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Deputy Comptroller, Usman Yahaya, said in a statement, on yesterday that his men were attacked by hoodlums after they intercepted bags of rice and other smuggled goods, including Ford buses.
Yahaya said his men “intercepted six Ford buses laden with foreign parboiled rice at Kikelomo area of Ayetoro, Ogun State.“Upon interception, some hoodlums who were armed with dangerous weapons and charms while working in support of the smugglers, swiftly mobilised themselves and attacked our officers to prevent the seizure from being taken away.
“Three customs officers sustained various degrees of injuries from the attack and in the pandemonium that ensued, one person was hit by a bullet in the process of resistance.
“The wounded officers are currently receiving treatment at our medical facility while further investigations into bringing the perpetrators of the attack to book have commenced” he said.
He said his men are now more equipped to stamp out smuggling around the Ogun corridor, urging Nigerians to support NCS in the fight against economic saboteurs.
“Normalcy has since returned to the area through combined efforts of officers of the service and the Nigerian Army.
“While thanking law abiding citizens for supporting our operations, we also warn people with criminal intentions to immediately desist from such.
“This is because officers and men of the unit are well mobilised, backed up by the extant laws and shall remain resolute at enforcing the laws without fear of intimidation,’’ Yahaya said.