AN officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Saheed Aweda, has been killed by smugglers in Kwara State.
A statement released by the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Command of the Service, Chado Zakari, on behalf of the Joint Border Patrol Team, Sector 3, said the officer was killed by smugglers who attacked a team of Customs operatives.
The officers were attacked along Sinau-Kenu Road in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The statement explained that Aweda has been buried according to Islamic rites in his hometown, Popogbona, in the Ilorin West LGA of the state.
The officers were on a routine patrol and had recovered some contraband goods when they were attacked.
Parts of the statement read, “JBPT Sector 3 operatives on information patrol along Sinau-Kenu Road in Baruten LGA of Kwara State intercepted 40 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 50kg each, and 30 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit, 25 litres each, abandoned on the bush path, Sinau-Kenu Road.
“The operatives immediately swung into action and removed the seized items into their operational vehicles for onward delivery to a government warehouse for safe-keeping in line with rules of engagement. While on transit, a group of hoodlums laid ambush and attacked our personnel with guns, stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks, charms and other dangerous items.
“The hoodlums shot sporadically at the officers. In the fiery exchange that ensued, one of our officers succumbed to the cold hands of death, while three officers sustained life-threatening injuries and are currently responding to treatment in a hospital.”
The statement added that the Coordinator, JBPT, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters, representatives of the Department State Services, Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, Nigerian Immigration Service and other security agencies had visited and commiserated with the family of the deceased.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.