Smugglers in Oyo State attack Customs officers, a soldier on duty

• As one officer suffers gunshot injury on the head
• (Report by Udeme Clement):

Apparently, incessant cases of attack on Customs officers, as well as other security opetatives on duty is taking a dangerous dimension, as smugglers now confront officers at will.

The latest news reaching our platform now shows another violent attack on three Customs officers and a soldier on duty in Oyo State.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO), with Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, of Nigeria Customs Service, Theophilus Duniya, disclosed this.

He informed; “Three Customs officers and a soldier on duty were injured in an unprovoked attack by smugglers in Igbo Ora area of Ibarapa Local Government, Oyo State, in the evening hours of Friday, July 16 , 2021, at about 8:00pm.

“The injured Customs officers are operatives of FOU Zone ‘A’. They sighted eight trucks carrying smuggled foreign parboiled rice, whose drivers and armed accompanying passengers launched attack on the officers.

“One of the attackers was shot and disarmed while others retreated with their smuggled wares.”

He pointed out; “While investigations are on-going to arrest and prosecute the attackers, all the attacked Customs officers and a soldier, including the one shot on the head, are receiving treatment.”

Acting Controller of the Unit, DC Usman Yahaya, condemned the attack and reiterates uncompromising resolve of the Service to suppress smuggling in all ramifications..

The Unit, according to Yahaya, will never relent, or be intimidated with these unwarranted attacks by criminal elements unlawfully bearing arms and unleashing terror on officers carrying out their statutory duties.