No fewer than three Customs officials and a Soldier, on Friday, were allegedly injured in a gun battle with rice smugglers in the Igboora area of Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The Customs Public Relations Officer, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Mr. Theophilus Duniya, made this known in a statement issued on Saturday.
Duniya said, “The injured Customs Officers who are operatives of the Zone A, Federal Operations Unit, sighted 8 trucks carrying smuggled foreign parboiled rice whose drivers and armed accompanying passengers launched an attack on the officers.
“One of the attackers was shot and disarmed while the others retreated with their smuggled wares.
“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,” Daniya said.
The Acting Controller of the Unit, DC Usman Yahaya, condemned the attack, saying that the Unit will ensure it does everything within to suppress smuggling.
The Acting Controller said that the Unit will never relent or be intimidated by those unwarranted attacks by criminal elements unlawfully bearing arms and unleashing same on officers on legitimate duties.
The Informant247 News Nigeria