One person has been confirmed dead following a gun battle between operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and suspected smugglers along a bush route in Ogun State.
The incident occurred early Saturday morning along the Alapoti bush path in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, where officers of the Ogun I Area Command were carrying out routine anti-smuggling patrols.
According to the Customs command, operatives intercepted a convoy of motorcycles transporting smuggled foreign parboiled rice at about 6:00 a.m. and seized 46 bags of the commodity.
Speaking on the incident in a statement issued on Saturday, the Public Relations Officer of the command, Zakari Chado, said the officers came under attack while withdrawing from the area with the seized items.
“While exiting the scene, our officers were suddenly ambushed by a large mob armed with dangerous weapons, including dane guns, stones, bottles and charms, in a coordinated attempt to overpower the patrol team and recover the seized rice,” Chado said.
He explained that the operatives resisted the attack during an exchange that lasted about 30 minutes.
“During the confrontation, one of the assailants sustained injuries and later died. A suspect who claimed ownership of the seized rice was arrested and is currently undergoing investigation,” he added.
Chado described the attack as unprovoked and noted that it occurred barely a week after Customs operatives were assaulted by suspected drug traffickers in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, where two officers sustained severe injuries and are still receiving medical care.
The command linked the repeated attacks on its personnel to intensified anti-smuggling operations in the area.
“These violent reactions reflect the desperation of criminal elements seeking to undermine lawful enforcement and threaten national security,” the statement noted.
Reacting to the development, the Acting Area Controller of the Ogun I Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Olukayode Afeni, condemned the attack, describing it as an assault on the rule of law.
“This barbaric act will not deter the command from discharging its statutory responsibilities. All those involved in this attack will be identified and brought to justice,” Afeni said.
He reassured residents of the area that the command remains committed to protecting law-abiding citizens and enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
