THREE persons have been reported dead following a clash between Customs personnel from Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, and smugglers in Igbo Ora town in Oyo State, on Thursday, November 19, 2020.
According to an eyewitness, who craved anonymity, trouble started when some Customs operatives and soldiers intercepted a vehicle transporting bags of foreign rice.
But other suspected smugglers clashed with the law enforcement agents, in their bid to take the intercepted vehicle back.
Different versions of the story were being given by residents about those who died.
Thenewsbearer learnt from the first eyewitness that after an exchange of gunfire between the Customs operatives and the smugglers, three persons, including two Customs personnel and a soldier, died.
Another source, however, said only one Customs personnel and a resident of the area died.
Again, a source said that it was a soldier and a resident that died through gunshots.
He claimed that a Customs operative wanted to shoot a smuggler when the bullets hit the soldier and the resident, killing them instantly.
Another soldier was said to have been hit by bullet in his leg, and had been taken to the hospital, with prayers for him to survive.
Since the EndSARS protests, unconfirmed reports had it that Customs officials, soldiers and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officials had been collaborating to enforce the law and nab smugglers when encountered.
Many people had rumored that the Customs operatives involved were from Oyo/Osun Area Command, but findings revealed that they were from Federal Operations Unit of Zone A.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Kayode Wey, confirmed that the Command knew nothing about the clash.
“All I can tell you is that Oyo/Osun Area Command had no officers among those who were in Igboora,” Wey stated.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of Oyo State command, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi said that the state Commissioner of Police, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu had visited the scene of the incident, to assess the situation.
