1 killed as customs officers, smugglers clash

One person was said to have been killed and a customs officer severely injured in a fracas between customs officers and suspected smugglers yesterday at Shagamu interchange along the Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The deceased was said to have been mistakenly shot dead in an attempt by the smugglers to disarm the customs officers.

The deceased was simply identified as Godwin; and the injured customs officer, ASC1, Destiny Onebamho.

It was learnt the suspected smugglers in a white Toyota bus refused to obey the “pull over sign” given to them by the customs operatives.

Eyewitnesses said the bus was suspected to be carrying used cloths from Benin Republic.

The spokesman of the Nigeria Customs Service, Joseph Attah, who confirmed the incident, dismissed a video on the incident that went viral yesterday on the social media.

He said: “While it is painful and totally unnecessary to lose life in anti-smuggling operations, yesterday at Shagamu interchange along Ijebu Ode, attempt to obstruct lawful performance of duty by passengers of a commercial bus (a white Toyota Hiace) suspected to be carrying bales of used clothing led to the death of a young man (Godwin) and serious injury of a Customs Officer, ASC1, Destiny Onebamho.

“Contrary to some narratives, the young man was not a passenger of the bus but a good citizen who always come to fetch water for Customs Patrol men anytime they return to the base.

“Preliminary finding indicate that it was during the skirmishes and struggle to disarm the Officer that the rifle discharged and hit the friend of the Customs (Godwin) who lost his life. The Service

“Sadly, it should be noted that while attention shifted to the dead and the wounded, the passengers who filmed with inciting commentaries boarded their vehicle and left, leaving the wrong impression that it was one of them that was killed. While the wounded Officer is under intensive care at the hospital, the patrol team has been recalled to the office for further investigation.”