Views: Visits 10 The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operation Unit (FOU), Zone A in Ibadan, has confirmed the death of three persons in clashes between the officers and rice smugglers. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than four persons were hit on Thursday in Iseyin area of Oyo state when customs officers shot sporadically in the air after intercepting smuggled goods coming through the borders. NAN gathered that those hit by stray bullets were residents who were enjoying their Eld-Fitri celebrations. Reacting to the incident in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday, the FOU Zone A spokesman, Mr Theophilus Duniya, confirmed the death of three persons.
Customs confirms 3 dead in Iseyin clash with rice smugglers
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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operation Unit (FOU), Zone A in Ibadan, has confirmed the death of three persons in clashes between the officers and rice smugglers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than four persons were hit on Thursday in Iseyin area of Oyo state when customs officers shot sporadically in the air after intercepting smuggled goods coming through the borders.
NAN gathered that those hit by stray bullets were residents who were enjoying their Eld-Fitri celebrations.
Reacting to the incident in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday, the FOU Zone A spokesman, Mr Theophilus Duniya, confirmed the death of three persons.
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On Thursday,
four persons were said to have been killed during a clash with smugglers who used the town as a connecting route to Ibadan and other cities.
One of the victims was said to be a motorcyclist who was hit by a stray bullet.
Speaking on the incident, Abdulganiy Adekunle, the Aseyin of Iseyin, condemned the action of the customs officers and said the community will take decisive steps to get to the root of the matter.
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“We will no longer allow customs officers to continue wasting the lives of our promising younger ones, our future and hope, and so drastic steps shall be taken to look into both the remote and the immediate causes of the killings,” the traditional ruler said in a statement.
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The Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN) has opposed the directives given by a Senate Committee to Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to return the seized smuggled rice to the traders in Ibadan.
RIFAN Director-General, Mr Andy Ekwelem, expressed the association’s opposition to the directive at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that officers of the NCS recently invaded Oja Oba Market in Ibadan and carted away truckloads of foreign rice.
A similar operation had earlier happened at Bodija Market, where men of the service also impounded some bags of rice.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operation Unit (FOU), Zone A, in Ibadan, Oyo State, invaded Oja Oba Market in the early hours of Saturday and carted away truckloads of suspected foreign bags of rice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the officers broke into shops and warehouses in the market, and evacuated no fewer than eight truckloads of bags of rice.
NAN’s report stated that the invasion came barely a month after a similar incident at Bodija Market, where men of the service also carried out a similar operation. x
The Public Relations Officer of NCS, FOU Zone A, Mr Theophilus Duniya, confirmed Saturday’s operation in a telephone interview with NAN in Ibadan.