1 killed, 3 injured as smugglers engage customs in shootout in Lagos

A 32-year-old man was, yesterday, shot dead in a shootout that erupted between suspected smugglers and some customs officers in Ogun State.

Three customs officers also sustained injuries in the fracas which occurred around Aradagun, on the Mile 2-Badagry Expressway way, Lagos.

The injured customs officers were said to be attached to the Federal Operations Unit (Zone A) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Yesterday’s incident is coming barely two weeks after a similar incident occurred in Ogun during which three customs officers and a soldier sustained injuries in an attack.

The unit’s public relations officer, Theophilus Duniya, who confirmed the incident in a statement, said the officers had intercepted a vehicle that was carrying frozen poultry products and bags of foreign rice.

Duniya said the smugglers mobilised mobs to attack the officers but that the officers were able to repel the attack and move the intercepted smuggled items to the unit headquarters, Ikeja.

He said the acting comptroller of the unit, DC Usman Yahaya, had ordered the intelligence unit to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack and warned smugglers to desist from attacking customs officers on lawful duty.

He said: “The Acting comptroller of the Unit has directed the intelligence unit of the Service to commence investigation into the attack to apprehend the perpetrators.

“Community leaders and parents are hereby enjoined to enlighten their wards and youths about the criminality of obstructing officers on lawful duty.

“Officers and men of the unit shall remain resolute at enforcing the customs extant laws. We are better equipped and determined with high morale to enforce the fiscal policies of government, no matter who is involved,” he added.