Customs officers injured as ‘smugglers’ clash with security operatives in Oyo

Three officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and a soldier have been reportedly injured, following a clash with suspected rice smugglers in Oyo state.

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

Duniya said the incident happened around 8pm on Friday, in Ibarapa area of the state.

“The injured customs officers, who are operatives of the zone A, federal operations unit, sighted 8 trucks carrying smuggled foreign parboiled rice, whose drivers and armed accompanying passengers launched attack on the officers,” Duniya said.

“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.