The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ has vowed to bring to book, suspected hoodlums behind the mob attack on some of its officers who were discharging their duties along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on Tuesday 2nd February, 2021.
A statement signed by Theophilus Duniya, public relations officer of the unit, disclosed that three Customs officers and a soldier attached to the patrol team of the unit sustained various degrees of bullet wounds on early hours of Tuesday 2nd February, 2021.
The officers, he stated, intercepted six vehicles laden with foreign parboiled rice at Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway before the attack.
“Upon the interception of the smuggled rice, some armed hoodlums working in support of smugglers mobilised themselves and attacked our officers in their bid to prevent the seizure from being taken away. However, in the cross fire that ensued, our operatives overpowered them and were able to evacuate three out of the intercepted vehicles to the warehouse,” he stated.
He said that three Customs officers and a soldier sustained some bullet injuries from the attack, adding that the wounded officers are currently receiving treatment at Customs’ medical facility while further investigation into bringing the perpetrators of the attack to book, has commenced.
Usman Yahaya, acting controller of the unit expressed concern about the injuries inflicted on the officers which, he said, could have been avoided if youths were patriotic enough to know that the officers were just performing their lawful duties.
He also cautioned the youth to reject being used by economic saboteurs to confront operatives of the Service from carrying out their lawful duties.
Yahaya, who thanked the law abiding citizens for supporting Customs operations, also warned people with criminal intentions to immediately desist from such because officers are well mobilised, and would remain resolute at enforcing the laws without fear of intimidation.
