Customs officers pelted with stones, bottles over seized rice
Pandemonium broke out at Papalanto in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State on Friday, when some hoodlums allegedly pelted men of the Nigeria Customs Service with stones, broken bottles and other dangerous objects.
The crisis erupted when some of the hoodlums in the area allegedly ambushed the officers who were taking away smuggled rice seized from Ilaro checkpoint.
Findings showed that it took the intervention of the army, police and reinforcement from the customs to overpower the hoodlums.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the state command of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed that the two officers sustained serious injuries but were currently responding to treatment in a hospital.
He added that three suspects had been arrested and were being interrogated at the Customs Command Headquarters in Abeokuta.
Maiwada said, “Men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Command escorting seized smuggled rice from Ilaro navigating to Abeokuta government warehouse for safe keeping on Friday at about 8 am were obstructed by a group of hoodlums. They pelted our personnel with stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks and other dangerous items.
“Our officers controlled the situation without using force. On the arrival of reinforcement teams from army, police, Federal Operations Unit and Command teams, the hoodlums were overpowered, but, not before serious injuries were inflicted on two customs personnel who are currently responding to treatment in the hospital.
“In the face of the provocative hostility, officers tactically succeeded in securing the seizures out of the scene in a professional manner, thereby avoiding any loss of life.”
Maiwada, however, recalled that a similar incident had happened about a year ago in the same location.