Bloody shootout in Ogun state between Customs officials and rice smugglers (details)
- Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Ogun state Command engaged in a gun battle with smugglers
- The incident happened today May 9 along Ota-Idiroko road
- A witness said officials shot and killed Sherif, a smuggler at Ola junction, Onibuku along Ota-Idiroko road, during the shootout
Legit.ng learnt that some officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Ogun state Command engaged in a gun battle with smugglers along Ota-Idiroko road on Tuesday May 9.
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According to a witness who spoke to Premium Times, crisis erupted when some customs officials tried to stop a well-known smuggler identified as Sherif.
The witness said officials shot and killed Sherif at Ola junction, Onibuku along Ota-Idiroko road, during the shootout.
Legit.ng learnt that Sherif and his fellow smugglers were allegedly smuggling rice, turkey and other items from Benin Republic through the border when they were accosted by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Reports also have it that Sherif and his gang have been compromising customs officials to ensure easy smuggling until recent clamp down on them.
Premium times also reported that the killing of Sherif, led to a mob action as some protesters went on rampage, setting the Customs Hilux van and office along Idi-Iroko road ablaze.
The news outlet reported that the mob also allegedly wounded some Customs officers.
Spokesperson of the Customs in Ogun, Abdullahi Maiwada, when contacted, blamed the violence on the smugglers.
“We intercepted a Mazda vehicle with registration number KTU 504 AN carrying 45 bags of smuggled rice, and also a Passat vehicle with 28 cartons of smuggled turkey,” he said.
“But in a reprisal attack, the smugglers mobilised themselves and destroyed our official vehicle which was set ablaze, and also destroyed personal vehicles of our men. They also destroyed the command post at Atan junction,” he said.
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Abdullahi Maiwada however said he could not confirm any death and that investigation was still ongoing.
Meanwhile, recall that Legit.ng recently reported that some angry car dealers in Kaduna destroyed an Hilux vehicle belonging to the Nigerian Customs.
According to an eye witness who spoke to Legit.ng, the violent situation started when the Customs impounded a vehicle belong to a car dealer and the dealer had to retaliate by ambushing the Customs vehicle.
Watch this Legit.ng TV video of a former NNPC group managing director Andrew Yakubu arraigned in court by EFCC over fraud allegations.
Source: Legit.ng
