AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
Three Customs personnel and one soldier were reportedly injured in an attack by some suspected smugglers in Igbo Ora, Ibarapa Local Government Council Area of Oyo State on Friday evening.
The suspects were said to have been engaged in a gun duel with security personnel around 8pm.
The disclosure was made in a statement made available to journalists by Theophilus Duniya,
Customs Public Relations Officer,
Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, on Saturday.
The statement read in parts, “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 8pm.
“The injured Customs officers, who are operatives of the Zone A, Federal Operations Unit, 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 the others retreated with their smuggled wares.
“While investigations are ongoing to arrest and prosecute the attackers, all the attacked Customs officers and soldier, including one that was shot in the head, are receiving treatment.
“Acting Controller of the Unit, DC Usman Yahaya, condemns the attack and reiterates the uncompromising resolve of the Service to suppress smuggling.”
The statement read that the Unit would, however, neither relent nor be intimidated by what it called the unwarranted attacks by criminal elements bearing arms and unleashing it on its men.
