Smugglers Kill Customs Officer, wounded three others in Kwara.

By Our Correspondent

Suspected smugglers  have  killed a Senior officer attached with Joint Border Patrol Team(JBPT) Sector 3 of the Nigerian Customs Service along Sinau-Kenu Road in Baruten Local government area of Kwara state in a gun duel. 

Also, three of the officers sustained severe injuries in the clash and are presently  receiving medical attention in the hospital. 

This was contained in a press  statement issued in Ilorin by the Public Relations Officer, Customs Command in the state, Chado Zakari on behalf of the JBPT.

The statement said that, the incident happened after the Border Patrol Team had successfully impounded contraband goods from the smugglers but were intercepted while in transit by another team of smugglers who fired several gun shots at them thereby killing the officer and wounded three others.  

The statement reads, "Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Sector 3 operatives on information patrol along Sinau-Kenu road in Baruten LGA of Kwara State intercepted forty (40) bags of foreign parboiled rice 50kg each and Thirty (30) jerry cans of premium motor spirit (PMS) 25 each litres abandoned the bush paths, Sinau-Kenu Road. 

"The operatives immediately swung to action and evacuated the seized items into their operational vehicles for onward delivery to Government Warehouse for safe keeping in line with rules of engagement, while on transit; a group of hoodlums laid ambush and pelted our personnel with guns, stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks, charms and other dangerous items.

"Hoodlums laid ambush and shot sporadically at officers. In the fiery exchange that ensued, one of our officers succumbed to the cold hands of death, while three (3) officers sustained life threatening injuries and are currently responding to treatment in the hospital.

"The deceased ASCI Saheed Aweda has been buried according to Islamic right in his home town, Popogbona in Ilorin West Local Government of  Kwara State".

The statement added, "Comptroller Olugboyega Peters,Representatives of DSS, NPF, ONSA, NIA, Immigration and other security agencies have visited the family of the deceased to commiserate with the family.

"Our prayers go out to the family of the deceased officer whose sacrifice is deeply appreciated and held in high esteem. 

"To those wounded, 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.

"The interventions of Reinforcements from JBPT Headquarters Team, JBPT Ilesha Baruba, Kwara Command, Customs Police and 224 Recce Battalion of the Nigeria Army were immediately dispatched and have since restored normalcy while the contraband items were moved to JBPT Headquarters, Ilorin for safe keeping".