One person was hit by stray bullet after hoodlums attacked men of the Nigeria Customs Service in Ogun State over interception of foreign rice.
In a statement on Tuesday, the customs said “At about 0800 hours of Tuesday 22nd December, 2020. Officers of NCS Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, while carrying out their statutory duty based on credible intelligence intercepted six Ford buses laden with foreign parboiled rice at Kikelomo area of Ayetoro – Ogun State.
“Upon the interception, some hoodlums who were armed with assorted dangerous weapons swiftly mobilize themselves and unleashed attack on our officers with the aim to abrupt Officers from performing their statutory functions.
“In the melee that ensued, one person was hit by a bullet in the process of resistance, while three Customs officers sustained various degrees of injuries.
“The wounded officers are currently receiving treatment at our medical facility while further investigation ongoing.
“On this note, the Ag. Customs Comptroller FOU ‘A’ DC Usman Yahya is very concerned and sympathetic about the loss of live and the serious injuries inflicted on his officers which was totally avoidable if only the youths were patriotic enough to know that the officers were just performing their lawful duties.
“He also cautioned the youths to reject being used by economic saboteurs to confront operatives of the Service from carrying out their lawful duties.
“Normalcy has since returned to the area through combined efforts of officers of the Service and the Nigerian Army,” the statement said.
