The Nigeria Customs Service, has lost one of its officers Saheed Aweda, who got killed by smugglers in Kwara State.
The late Aweda was attached to the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Sector 3 in the State.
The attackers who reportedly laid ambush for the Customs officials along Sinau- Kenu road in Baruten local government area, an international border town, also inflicted gun shot injuries on three other members of the JBPT team.
The slain Customs officer has immediately been buried according to Islamic rites in his Ilorin country home.
The spokesman of the Kwara State Customs Command, Chado Zakari, confirmed that the deceased and the three wounded officers were on informational patrol before the hoodlums attacked them.
Seized items
Zakari said the patrol team had intercepted 40 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each and 30 jerry cans of premium motor spirit (PMS)of 25 litres each, abandoned on the bush paths, along Sinau-Kenu road.
“The operatives immediately swung to action and evacuated the seized items into their operational vehicles for onward delivery to government warehouse for safe keeping in line with rules of engagement, but while in transit; a group of hoodlums laid ambush and pelted our personnel with guns, stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks, charms and other dangerous items.
“Hoodlums laid ambush and shot sporadically at 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 the hospital,” Zakari stated.
He added: “Representatives of DSS, NPF, ONSA, NIA, Immigration and other security agencies have visited the family of the deceased to commiserate with the family.
“Our prayers go out to the family of the deceased officer whose sacrifice is deeply appreciated and held in high esteem. To those wounded, the Sector promises to stand by them on their journey to recovery and full restoration of health.”
The statement added that the intervention of Reinforcements from JBPT headquarters team, JBPT Ilesha Baruba, Kwara Command, Customs Police and 224 Recce Battalion of the Nigeria Army were immediately dispatched and have since restored normalcy while the contraband items were moved to JBPT headquarters, Ilorin for safe keeping.
The Customs spokesman explained further that the Coordinator Joint Border Patrol Team , (JBPT) Comptroller Olugboyega Peters has ordered a full scale investigation to fish out those criminals who perpetuated this barbaric, cruel and inhuman aggression.
Unwarranted attacks
The sector wishes to commend the patriotic roles of our sister Agencies and law abiding citizens in assisting the sector to perform its lawful duty of implementing partial closure of our land borders in the interest of our dear country.
The sector said “This trend of unprovoked attacks by faceless cowards whose intention is to instill 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 Sector stated categorically that it would continue to prosecute the anti-smuggling crusade in spite of the unwarranted attacks.
It advised parents/guardians to warn their wards to desist from obstructing it’s operatives from performing their duties.
Olusola Akintonde
