No fewer than three officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and a soldier were injured in an attack by smugglers at Igbo Ora area of Ibarapa Local Government, Oyo State on Friday.
Public Relations Officer of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Theophilus Duniya, made this known in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to newsmen.
Duniya said that the incident happened around 8.00pm on Friday.
“The injured NCS officers, who are operatives of Zone A, Federal Operations Unit, sighted eight trucks carrying smuggled foreign parboiled rice.
“The drivers and armed passengers of the trucks quickly launched an attack on the officers. One of the attackers was shot and disarmed while the others retreated with their smuggled wares,” he said.
Duniya said that investigation had commenced toward arresting and prosecuting the attackers, while the injured NCS officers and the soldier were receiving treatment.
He said that the Acting Controller of the Unit, DC Usman Yahaya, condemned the attack and reiterates the uncompromising resolve of the Service to suppress smuggling.
The unit, according to the Acting Controller, will never relent or be intimidated by these unwarranted attacks by criminal elements unlawfully bearing arms and unleashing same on officers on legitimate duties.
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