A customs officer, Solomon Alagye, attached to Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service was on Tuesday shot dead in an attack on their base by suspected hoodlums.
Many others were also said to have been injured in the unprovoked attack allegedly sponsored by suspected smugglers.
Hamned Oloyede, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, in a statement, said on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 at about 9am some hoodlums in their large numbers armed with guns, machetes, axes, charms and other dangerous weapons, attacked a Customs patrol base at Oke Ore, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Oloyede said the hoodlums shot at the Customs personnel, leading to the death of an Assistant Inspector of Customs, Solomon Alagye on the spot, while another officer who he said sustained gunshot injuries is responding to treatment at the 192 Brigade Military Hospital Owode.
He said the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Michael Agbara, in response to the distress information about the attack, called for immediate reinforcements from Customs patrol teams and other security agencies including the Military and the Police.
“Unfortunately, the intervention teams could not reach the scene on time due to the road blocks mounted by the EndSARs protesters.
“In addition to the fatal shooting of our officers, the hoodlums also damaged two Customs patrol vehicles and set another one ablaze.
“The hoodlums further escalates their mayhem and eventually looted all valuables items including Customs uniform in the said patrol base,” he said.
The Command spokesman further said the Customs Area Controller promised to ensure that the attackers and murderers of the Customs personnel will be fished out and brought to justice.
