1 killed, several injured as customs, smugglers clash in Ogun

A senior secondary school boy, Rilwan Bello on Friday met his untimely death in Owode- Idiroko area of Ogun state following a clash between the men and officers of the Customs Service and suspected smugglers.

The Daily Times gathered that Bello, who is an SS 1 student of Area Community High School, Owode Yewa was hit by stray bullets, allegedly, fired by the operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) when they raided locked – up shops in the area in search of suspected smuggled rice and other contraband goods.

Our correspondent gathered that the Customs joint patrol team were said to have stormed the Idiroko area in the morning and broke into many shops, sending unsuspecting traders scampering for safety even as the operatives carted away many bags of rice and sugar among others.

It was learnt that while the raid lasted, the operatives also shot sporadically into the air, apparently to ward off any counter – attack or violent resistance from the people and that it was one of the stray bullets from the operatives that struck the boy on the head.

Many people, including the traders, were also said to have sustained injuries during an ensuing stampede triggered by the torrential gunshots being fired into the air by the customs officers.

As the confusion and tension heightened with some youths threatening violence, soldiers and policemen hurried to the scene to help restore normalcy to the troubled Owode – Idiroko area.

A witness said that it was during the melee that Rilwan, a 15- year- old SS 1 student of Area Community High School, Owode, dropped to the ground and died.

“This boy was killed this morning at Owode Idiroko by customs men. The boy’s name is Rilwan, a student at the Area Community High School, Owode.

“He is 15 -years -old. The customs men, broke into shops, parked away bags of sugar and rice. They were shooting into the air to scare away reprisal attacks and in the process, their stray bullet hit the boy on the head,” the source said.

But reacting, Abdullahi Maiwada. the Public Relations Officer, for Customs Area Controller, Ogun I Command, said the incident involved the officers and some suspected cultists, popularly known as ‘Eiye boys,’ alleging that the slain boy was a cultist.

Maiwada added that the command had, however, launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, pledging to make the outcome of the investigation available.

He said: “At about 0830hours of Friday, some group of miscreants, suspected to be cultists (popularly known as ‘Eiye boys’ violently confronted officers of NCS Ogun I Command Anti-smuggling Patrol Team with assorted weapons at Owode.

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“The team came across such hostility while peacefully performing their lawful duty with vivid arrest of smuggled 47 bags of sugar, 13 bags of rice (50 kg each) and three cartons of sugar stocked at a residence located along Owode-Idiroko Road.

“In the melee that ensued, information available revealed that one among the suspected cultists died, while officers including the team leader sustained various degree of injuries.

“The name of the deceased who is popularly known among the ‘area boys’ is Owoeba. Other popular members of the notorious gang at large are Angaba, Wudor, Solomon (a.k.a K.Solo).

“We wish to use this opportunity to acknowledge the timely intervention of Nigerian Army 192 Battalion, Owode, Operatives of National Border Drill, Nigeria Police Force Owode.

“In the same vein, we wish to recognize the patriotic Owode youths who shunned the cultists and assisted the operatives to evacuate the offensive goods.

“Their action is worthy of emulation as the NCS is always out to perform their duty for the common good of the entire nation.”