Customs Officers Injured As ‘smugglers’ Clash With Security Operatives In Oyo

Following a battle with suspected rice smugglers in Oyo state, three officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and a soldier were reportedly injured.

Customs spokesperson Theophilus Duniya, federal operations unit, zone A, revealed this in a statement on Saturday.

According to Duniya, the incident occurred around 8 p.m. on Friday in the state’s Ibarapa area.

“The injured customs officers, who are members of the federal operations unit’s zone A, spotted eight trucks carrying contraband foreign parboiled rice, whose drivers and armed passengers attacked the officers,” Duniya stated.

One of the attackers was shot and disarmed, while the others retreated with their smuggled wares.

“Investigations are ongoing to arrest and prosecute the attackers. All the attacked customs officers and soldier, including one that was shot in the head, are receiving treatment.”

According to the spokesman, Usman Yahaya, acting controller of the unit, condemned the attack, adding that the NCS will do all it can to suppress smuggling activities.

Yahaya also gave the assurance that the NCS will not relent in its efforts to curb “attacks by criminals on officers who are carrying out their legitimate duties”.

The reported clash between suspected smugglers and customs operatives occurred on the same day three persons were said to have been killed, during an attack on communities in Ibarapa.

A resident of one of the communities had said the attackers ran away after members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and the local vigilante, engaged them in a shootout.