Five feared dead as Nigerian Customs, smugglers clash in Ogun
The Oke-Odan town located in Yewa South Local Government area of Ogun State has been thrown into pandemonium, as officials of the Nigeria Customs Service allegedly shot dead two children and three others while pursuing smugglers.
A witness said the incident occurred on Sunday evening when Customs officials pursued some suspected smugglers who were driving in two vehicles loaded with rice coming from Igolo, a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic, and heading towards Sango in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The witness added that the Customs officials seized the vehicles and were driving them to Idi-Iroko office before they were ambushed by some suspected smugglers.
According to the witness, a clash erupted whichled to the death of three children, a roadside mechanic, a panel-beater and a secondary school leaver, simply identified as Ade.
However, when contacted, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, and his Customs counterpart, Usman Abubakar, said only two people lost their lives.
The customs spokesman said three of their officers sustained injury during the attack by the smugglers, adding that three of their check points were burnt down.
“Two people have been confirmed dead. Our officers were attacked by smugglers on their way to Idi-Iroko office after seizing two vehicles loaded with rice at Ajilete,Abubakar said.
“These smugglers carried guns, cutlasses, axe, broken bottles and stoned our officers with a view to recovering their vehicles with the contraband and injured three officers,” he added.
“We had to call for reinforcement of military and police before we could escape from the smugglers. They burnt down three of our check points.”
The customs Public Relations Officer however, offered prayers for those who lost their lives and sustained injury in the clash, warning smugglers against obstructing officers on duty which he said attract two years imprisonment.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, in his own reaction said the command was aware of the clash between armed men and smugglers.
Mr. Adejobi said only two casualties were recorded in the crisis and that the alleged mastermind of the incident identified as Oke Gbenro had been arrested.
He said the police command had taken over the matter saying “as at now,we have recorded two people confirmed dead and we have taken the corpses to a public morgue for autopsy and for proper investigation”.
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