Oyo community tackles customs over ‘killing of residents’ during clash with smugglers

Residents of Iseyin, a town in Oyo state, have accused officers of the Nigeria Customs Service of killing “innocent persons” during confrontations with smugglers.

On Thursday, four persons were said to have been killed during a clash with smugglers who used the town as a connecting route to Ibadan and other cities.

One of the victims was said to be a motorcyclist who was hit by a stray bullet.

Speaking on the incident, Abdulganiy Adekunle, the Aseyin of Iseyin, condemned the action of the customs officers and said the community will take decisive steps to get to the root of the matter.

“We will no longer allow customs officers to continue wasting the lives of our promising younger ones, our future and hope, and so drastic steps shall be taken to look into both the remote and the immediate causes of the killings,” the traditional ruler said in a statement.

“Aseyin-in-council is going to wade into this matter and we shall get to the root of it. I enjoin members of the families affected by the casualties to repose confidence on the traditional institution because prompt actions are being taken to allow peace to reign permanently in the town.”

Stephen Oyelayo, a relative of one of the victims, told TheCable that his brother was dropping off a passenger when he was shot.

“We are burying my brother as we speak. He was a commercial motorcyclist who was killed in his prime. He was the breadwinner for his family. He was not a smuggler. He was killed on the new road after dropping off a passenger who had hired his services,” he said.

“His death is painful to the family and friends. He did not commit any crime and he did not deserve to die in that manner. On a day when everyone was celebrating Sallah, customs men entered Iseyin town, killing our people.

“This is not the first time we are witnessing killing by customs men in this town. While we do not condone smuggling, the argument is why are customs men choosing Iseyin as a killing field? This is not a border town; we are about 50 kilometres or more away from the border with Benin Republic. Why allow smugglers pass through the border and then chase them to Iseyin?”

But in a statement signed by Theophilus Duniya on behalf of the acting controller, Federal Operation Unit, Zone A, the NCS said those who were killed were part of a mob that attacked customs operatives.

“At about 1500 hours of Thursday, May 13, 2021, some daredevil smugglers mobilised themselves with the help of some thugs and attacked a patrol team serving with Federal Operations Unit Zone A, who were on lawful duty at Iseyin,” the statement reads.

“The officers who were on routine patrol intercepted two Nissan Pathfinder SUV vehicles fully loaded with smuggled foreign parboiled rice at Iseyin. Sequel to the interception, the officers were attacked by a mob who were mobilised by the smugglers.

“The mob attacked the officers with dangerous weapons which led to the infliction of serious injuries on two officers in an attempt to abduct one of the officers that was brutally attacked.

“The assailants had taken the injured officer with his rifle before his team members who acted in self defence, shot at his suspected abductors leading to the death of three of them, before he was rescued and taken for immediate medical attention.

“The officers were able to successfully evacuate the intercepted smuggled rice, while the injured officers are currently receiving treatment.”