Ogun smuggling syndicate attacked customs comptroller

Ogun state Command Comptroller of the Nigerian Customs Service Sani Madugu on Wednesday night escaped being lynched after an attack on his convoy by members of the smuggling syndicate at Idiroko border area of the  State.

The Comptroller, while narrated the incident to journalists at the Idiroko Customs headquarters, said the attackers took advantage of a traffic jam at Ijako axis of the road to attack his convoy at about 8.00pm on Wednesday night on his way back to Abeokuta.

“We were caught in the web of a traffic jam at Ijako axis of Abeokuta-Ifo road when the hoodlums came and attacked my convoy. They destroyed and vandalised our vehicles,” he stated.

The embattled Comptroller, who showed journalists the damaged vehicles, which include a security pilot Toyota Hilux with registration number ‘Customs: A 39CS’ and his official car, which number plate he said was taken away by the bandits. Also taken away the uniform of one of his aides, David Ojo, a customs assistant.

“We refused to be provoked. We do not fire gun to avoid calamity, particularly because of innocent motorists and passersby. We had to call for reinforcement before we could leave the scene,” he said.

The comptroller said the incident will not discourage the customs command in the state from pursuing smugglers, adding that such attacks show that the agency was working and doing well.

“The attacks would not discourage us. We shall not be intimidated. Attacking us shows that we are working and we are mounting pressure on them. We are always one step ahead of smugglers,” adding that the police, has commenced investigation on the incident.

Last Monday, the men of the NCS were alleged to have killed a suspected smuggler during a shoot out a development which might not be unconnected to the attack on the State Command comptroller on Wednesday night.

The incident, Daily Trust gathered occurred when the smugglers, having smartly beat the Customs officials to smuggle some vehicles and bags of rice through Oke Odan town, engaged each other in a gun duel.

Eyewitness at the scene, which reportedly occurred around 8:30am on Monday morning further told our correspondent that the Customs’ personnel had told the smugglers to increase the “settlements” in their negotiations before the remaining four out of their eight vehicles loaded with the smuggled bags of rice could allowed to be transported in the town.