Custom Officer Shot Dead, 3 Injured As Smugglers Attempt  To Reclaim Seized Goods  In Kwara

Hoodlums, apparently at the instance of smugglers ,who were  making attempts to reclaim seized goods  on Friday launched a surprise attack  that left one customs officer dead and three injured .

Chado Zakari, who is the Public Relations Officer, Kwara Command, noted in a statement made available to  Team@orientactualmags.com on Monday that security agents attached to the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Sector 3  had  intercepted forty (40) bags of foreign parboiled rice 50kg each and Thirty (30) jerry cans containing  premium motor spirit (PMS) 25 each litres  which were later  abandoned in  a bush path on Sinau-Kenu Road.

Sinau-Kenu road  is in Baruten Local government  , Kwara state.

The  JBPT members had according to the statement  immediately swung into action and  loaded  the seized items in their operational vehicles for onward  transportation to the  Government Warehouse for safe keeping in line with  the rules of engagement.

However , while on transit; a group of hoodlums , who had waited in  ambush,

 pelted  them  with  stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks, charms and other dangerous items.

They also shot at the JBPT members and in the process , one  among them  died from gunshot wounds  while  three  others  sustained life-threatening injuries and are currently responding to treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

The statement noted that the deceased, ASCI Saheed Aweda,  an indigene of Ilorin,  had since  been buried in the Kwara state capital according to Islamic rites.

The statement added that Comptroller Olugboyega Peters, Representatives of DSS, NPF, ONSA, NIA, Immigration and other security agencies had also  visited the  Aweda family  to  offer their condolences.

‘Our prayers go out to the family of the deceased officer whose sacrifice is deeply appreciated and held in high esteem. To the injured officers , the Sector promises to stand by them on their journey to recovery and full restoration of health.

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.

There were  Reinforcements from JBPT Headquarters Team, JBPT Ilesha Baruba, Kwara Command, Customs Police and 224 Recce Battalion of the Nigerian Army  and they  had immediately swung into action and  the  area had since returned to a state of normalcy while the contraband items were moved to JBPT Headquarters, Ilorin for safe keeping’ the  statement said.

 The statement also noted that the  Coordinator,  Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Compt Olugboyega Peters has ordered a full- scale investigation into the incident  to identify  those  involved in what was described as ‘ barbaric, cruel and inhuman aggression’.

‘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 morale  of  our officers   or hinder them from carrying out their statutory functions.

We wish to categorically state that we will continue to prosecute the anti-smuggling crusade in spite of the unwarranted attacks.

The sector want to use this medium to advise parents/guardians to warn their wards to desist from obstructing our operatives from performing their legitimate duties as the Sector will not hesitate to

use appropriate force in line with the  rules of engagement and will leave the Officers with no other alternative than to defend themselves in the interest of the nation’ the statement added- Team@orientactualmags.com
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