Smugglers kill customs officer in Kwara

A group of smugglers has killed an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service in Kwara State following an ambushed on the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Sector 3 of the Nigeria Customs Service along Sinau-Kenu road in Baruten Local Government Area of the State.

The group of hoodlums shot sporadically and pelted the personnel with other dangerous items while in transit, having evacuated some abandoned thirty jerry cans of PMS and forty bags of rice.

However, one of the officers paid the supreme price while three others, sustain various varying degrees of injury and are being treated in an undisclosed hospital.

According to a statement signed by the Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Officer Kwara Command, Chado Zakari, the deceased, ASCI Saheed Aweda has been buried according to Islamic rites in his home town, Popogbona in Ilorin West Local Government of Kwara State.

Advertisement

He said Comptroller Olugboyega Peters, Representatives of DSS, NPF, ONSA, NIA, Immigration and other security agencies have visited the family of the deceased to commiserate with them and prayed for the deceased officer whose sacrifice is deeply appreciated and held in high esteem.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Compt. Peters has ordered a full-scale investigation to fish out the criminals who perpetuated the inhuman aggression.

“This trend of unprovoked attacks by faceless cowards whose intention is to instil fear in the minds of law enforcement operatives shall not go unpunished. Neither will it dampen the resolve of officers and men from carrying out their statutory functions,” the statement said in part.

While thanking the intervention and reinforcements from JBPT Headquarters Team, JBPT Ilesha Baruba, Kwara Command, Customs Police and 224 Recce Battalion of the Nigeria Army for swift action, he stated that the Sector will continue to prosecute the anti-smuggling crusade despite the unwarranted attacks.