One killed, many injured as Customs, hoodlums clash in Ogun - Royal Fathers engage customs service in dialogue

Tayo Oladipupo, Bisi Abass

Hoodlums suspected to be smugglers have reportedly inflicted various degrees of injuries on officers and men of the Ogun command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) who are on routine anti-smuggling patrol at Owode, Yewa area of Ogun state.

The hoodlums were also said to be in rampage scouting for customs officers to unleash mayhem on them as they engaged other security agents on exchange of gunfire.

The attack which took place on Monday, 21st January, 2019 saw two officers critically injured as another three received various degrees of injury.

According to the release made available by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, the attack was a gang up against anti-smuggling operatives having sensed that suspected smuggled rice stocked in worship centre and other nearby houses had been discovered.

The release stated further that the hoodlums wanted to invade the customs formation in the area but for the help of sister agencies.

The release stated, “Earlier this month, precisely on Sunday 6th January, 2019 NCS Ogun Command lost an Officer in active service after sustaining machete blows from criminals who accepted smuggling as their only means of livelihood.

“The aftermath of the aforementioned incident paved way for concerted efforts by the Command to inform and educate the public on the menace of smuggling and the implication of conspiring against the Service.

“Unfortunately, at about 1200 hours of Monday afternoon (21st January, 2019), some smugglers and their accomplices ganged-up against an Anti-smuggling Team from discharging its legitimate functions at Owode (Yewa) community.

“The Officers who went on an Operation to save Nigerian economy from the mayhem of smugglers who stocked a place of worship and some houses nearby with rice suspected to have been smuggled into Nigeria.

“The team faced stiff resistance from some armed criminals inflicting serious injuries on two Officers and minor injuries on other members of the team, and further destroyed official patrol vehicles. The encounter led to exchange of fire between Officers and smugglers with their accomplices.

“For peace to reign, the team resorted to tactical withdrawal. However, the hoodlums took law into their hands by barricading the main road leading to Idiroko, scouting for Customs Officers to attack.

“They are also battling with law enforcement agencies to gain access to Customs formations for further confrontation.

“Finally, we wish to commend the patriotic roles of our sister Agencies and law abiding citizens in assisting the Command to achieve its lawful duty of revenue collection and suppression of smuggling in the interest of our dear country.

“We wish to categorically state that we will continue to fight the anti-smuggling crusade against all odds.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Customs have been implored to come up with advocacy, aimed at educating the rice traders on the need to encourage and patronise locally-produced rice.

This was a fall out of the meeting between the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, and the Ogun State Command Area Controller, Nigeria Customs Service; Michael Agbara aimed at finding a lasting solution to the incessant clashes between rice marketers and Customs operatives, especially in the Ota axis.

The meeting, held at the Idiroko border office of the command last week, where the monarch expressed concern at the frequent raids at Sango-Ota market in search of foreign rice by Customs operatives

While the royal father urged the command to be proactive at the border posts, rather than coming into the city to create tension during raids, he equally said he would not support illegality of any form.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Seriki of Ota, Chief Olanrewaju Bashorun, also advised the command to explore other means of stopping the smugglers at the borders, instead of raiding markets to avoid loss of lives.

Responding, Agbara thanked the Olota and other stakeholders from Aworiland for their timely intervention, describing the visit as the beginning of the good relationship between the command and Ota residents.

The controller, however, warned that he would not allow individuals to turn Ota, especially Sango, into a smuggling hub in the state.

He said, “Most of the affected marketers are the warehouse owners, who are operating interstate smuggling and have chosen Ota as a transit point. Our efforts are aimed at achieving one of the core functions of Customs, which is trade facilitation and to passionately key into the Federal Government’s Executive order on the ban of imported rice,” he said.

He disclosed that an interactive town hall meeting would be organised between the Command, traders and other stakeholders, to proffer a lasting solution to the issue.