Again Customs, Smugglers clash leaves one dead in Ogun

A clash between officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Area 1 and suspected smugglers has left one person reportedly dead.

The clash was said to have occurred on Saturday when a suspected smuggling gang unleashed a vicious attack on officers of the command while on routine anti-smuggling patrol along Aselu and Igua areas of Yewa North local government of the state.

The command's Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, said in a statement that the officers came across a convoy of motorcycles ferrying foreign parboiled rice along the bush paths of Aselu and Igua communities.

Maiwada explained that the smugglers on sighting the Customs officers launched attack on them with assorted dangerous weapons.

He noted that the officers successfully repelled the attack but one of the smugglers was shot dead and his corpse has since been deposited at the mortuary.

"At about 1300hrs of Saturday, 25/4/2020, Officers and Men of NCS Ogun I Command went on routine anti-smuggling patrol and eventually came across a convoy of motorcycles (popularly known as okada) ferrying smuggled foreign parboiled rice along the bush paths of Aselu and Igua communities, Yewa North LGA in Ogun state.

"The aforementioned smuggling gang having been caught red-handed, resorted to unleashing a vicious attack on Officers performing their duties with assorted dangerous weapons.

"The Officers successfully repelled the attack launched by the smugglers and at the end one of the smugglers died and his corpse has since been deposited at mortuary."

The Customs PRO however said the patrol team were able to evacuated 44 bags of rice (50kg each) and two motorcycles abandoned by the smugglers were also seized.

"It is instructive to note that Saturday (25/04/2020) was a date set aside for total lockdown in Ogun state due to the surge of COVID-19 pandemic.

"However, the daredevil smugglers who have no regards for law of the land or the disease ravaging the global community resorted to crossing the border through illegal routes to perpetrate their nefarious activities in total disregard of the health and economic well being of the country.

"Finally, the Command wishes to reiterate and warn the public against attack on Officers performing their lawful duty as such will leave the Officers with no other alternative than to defend themselves" he said.