Six Die as Customs & Smugglers Clash in Ogun

Men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun State Command, and smugglers clashed at Oke-Odan, in the Yewa area of the state, killing six people.  The victims were said to be three children and three adult residents of the town, who were hit by stray bullets in the shoot-out.


The customs officials were chasing the smugglers, who were in two vehicles, loaded with bags of rice.The vehicles were said to be coming from  Igolo, a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic, and heading towards Sango, in the Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state.

The customs officials caught up with the smugglers, seized the vehicles and were driving them to their Idi-Iroko office before they were ambushed at Oke Odan by some suspected smugglers.

Both the  state Police Public Relations Officer,  Muyiwa Adejobi , and the Public Relations Officer, NCS, Ogun Command,  Usman Abubakar, however, said two people died.

Abubakar said three customs officers sustained injuries during the clash, adding that three of their (Customs) checkpoints were burnt down.

Abubakar said, “Two people have been confirmed dead. Our officers were attacked by smugglers on their way to Idi-Iroko office after seizing two vehicles loaded with rice at Ajilete.

“These smugglers used guns, cutlasses, broken bottles and even stoned our officers with a view to recovering their vehicles. They injured three officers.

“We had to call for reinforcement before we could escape from the smugglers;  they burnt down three of our checkpoints.”