The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the alleged killing of two brothers by some men of the Nigerian Army for smuggling foreign rice into the country in Owode, Yewa South Local Government Area of the state.
This was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, saying that the Divisional Police Officer in the area quickly mobilized to restore normalcy.
This development was said to have caused pandemonium in the area as a Naval officer was killed in the process.
The incident which happened on Sunday angered the youths of the area who blocked the Sango-Idiroko International Road in protest.
The mob reportedly attacked an officer of the Nigeria Air Force, killing him in retaliation.
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It was gathered that trouble started when the officers accosted the elder brother in an attempt to seize his vehicle which contained bags of foreign parboiled rice.
“In the course of the altercation between the man and the soldiers, some people called his younger brother, popularly known as Saheed Elegusi. Saheed rushed to the scene and the two of them were shot dead by the soldiers. We don’t know when soldiers become customs officers,” said an eyewitness.
It was gathered that the soldiers immediately fled the scene after shooting the siblings.
The mob allegedly set bonfires on the Sango-Idiroko International Road, affecting vehicular movements for hours.
Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer Abimbola said that the slain Air Force officer was in uniform when he unknowingly ran into the mob who lynched him.
“Yes, the incident happened yesterday. I think it was caused by an argument between them and the men of the Nigerian Army. We are still investigating,” he said.
While the situation has been brought under control, the Public Relations Officer, however, said that the Commissioner of Police has directed the homicide section to take over the matter and unravel both the remote and immediate causes of the incident.
