One Killed, Several Injured as Alleged Smugglers Engage Customs Officers in Shootout
Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) yesterday allegedly engaged in a clash with some smugglers and hoodlums, resulting in the death of one person.
The incident which happened at the Abule Egba area of Lagos State, also left several others with varying degree of injuries.
At the scene to restore peace were operatives of the Rapid Response Team (RRS), Lagos State Task Force, Lagos State Neighbourhood and Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the divisional police officer of Oke Odo Police Station.
As at press time, Abule Egba and its environs were calm and free flow of traffic restored.
The police authorities in Lagos identified the deceased as one Mojeed Olayiwola of no fixed address, adding that he was shot while inside a moving commercial bus by a yet-to-be identified Customs officer.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased was inside a bus when he was allegedly shot at by a yet-to-be identified Customs officer.
He said according to preliminary investigation, the deceased was not one of the hoodlums who attacked the custom men.
Meanwhile, the Customs authorities have come out to debunk the allegations, adding that although they gave a chase to a smuggler, nobody died, rather, their men were attacked by hoodlums.
In a statement by the FOU Zone A Public Relationa Officer, Jerry Attah, the service said the allegation was the figment of people’s imagination, adding that it was capable of misleading the public hence the need to state the facts.
He said: “On the January 17, 2018, at about 0530hrs, operatives of the Federal Operations Unit acting on a tip-off traced one LT Bus loaded with unspecified bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice from Sango area.
“They eventually stopped it at Abule Egba but before he was finally halted at Abule Egba, the driver started shouting and making inciting statement that attracted mob action against the officers with different dangerous weapons such as broken bottles, stones and cutlasses.
“Obviously, he had driven to where he could get his associates to help attack the Customs officers.
“Given support of the mob, he resisted lawful arrest and the other armed operatives fired shots in the air to disperse the raging mob but to no avail.
“As a responsible organisation, the officers retraced back to avoid any casualty. We appreciate and thank God that no life was lost as at the time of the confrontation even though two of our officers sustained injuries.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the fact that a smuggler has evaded scrutiny either by following unapproved route or compromising any officer does not guarantee that the smuggled item will not be seized anywhere it is found by patrol officers, whose duty is to ensure compliance.
“The Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Mohammed Uba, while lamenting the misleading report, urges media professional to verify their facts before rushing to the press.”