Suspected smugglers have attacked an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service at Ilashe, a border town in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The Public Relations Officer of Ogun I Customs Area Command, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He explained that the operatives of the command had intercepted 35 bags of 50kg imported rice in the area when the incident occurred.
According to Maiwada, the security operatives were on information patrol to Ilashe village where they intercepted the bags of rice ferried by a convoy of motorcyclists.
READ ALSO: Troops Raid Bandits’ Hideouts In Kaduna, Kill 17
“On their way out of the area, the diehard smugglers mobilised themselves in an overwhelming number, launching a vicious attack with assorted weapons on officers performing their lawful duties.
“In an effort to repel the attack and avoid bloodshed, one officer of the Customs, Assistant Superintendent Chidi Johnson, was brutally macheted, sustaining deep cuts in various parts of his body,” the statement said.
The command spokesman added that the injured officer was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention and has been responding to treatment.
He revealed that five suspects were arrested in connection with the incident and have been taken into custody for interrogation.
“We find it unfortunate and strange that the daredevil smugglers who have no regards for laws of the land or coronavirus pandemic disease ravaging the global community resorted to crossing the border through illegal routes to perpetrate such nefarious activities in total disregard of the health and economic well-being of Nigerians.”
“Principally, we seize this opportunity to enjoin the faceless unpatriotic smuggling cartels to stop using uninformed youths as cannon fodders in their nefarious trade,” the station added.
