Tension As Customs Personnel Allegedly Shot Four on Sallah Day in Iseyin

At least four people have been shot dead allegedly by men of the Nigerian Customs Services.

This is as another person was badly injured in a sporadic shooting by the operatives.

According to a source privy to the incident, the personnel started shooting after intercepting smuggled goods coming through the boarders when they got into the town.

The source added that, some of those hit by stray bullets were residents out to enjoy sallah celebration.

The situation, it was gathered caused tension in the community as family and friends of those affected have started protesting.

The names and details of the victims could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

It would be recalled that indiscriminate shooting by the Customs personnel recently led to a face-off with members of the proscribed Nigerian Union of Transport Workers (NURTW), as the Chairman of the Union in Iseyin was hit by a shot from the Customs officers.

When contacted on phone, the Public Relation Officers of the Oyo/Osun Area Command of NCS, Kayode Wey said that he has not heard anything about the incident.

He said he was not sure if the custom are from the Oyo/Sound Area Command but promised to get back to newsmen as soon as information concerning the incident is available.

Meanwhile, following the alleged killings of five youths in Iseyin in a crisis between men of Nigeria Customs Services whose identities have not been ascertained and some youths of the city, Aseyin of Iseyin land, Oba Dr. Abdulganiyy Adekunle Salau, Oloogunebi-Ajinese I has warned that henceforth, officers of Nigeria Customs Services should keep 40kilometers away from the border at Ayegun.

The monarch in a press release issued and made available to journalists this evening described the killings of the youths on the festive day as a bad occurrence that must be critically analysed to prevent future reoccurrence.

Oba Dr. Abdulganiyy however admonished people of the city to remain calm while pledging that the culprit will not go without facing the wrath of law.

He said “we will no longer allow custom officers to continue wasting the lives of our promising younger ones, our future and hope and so drastic steps shall be taken to look into both the remote and the immediate causes of the killings.

He advised the entire people of the city to be calmed and give peace a chance while appealing to Rice Dealers in Iseyin and entire Oke Ogun to be law abiding and peace loving in their businesses.

“Aseyin-in-Council is going to wade into this matter and we shall get to the root of it. I enjoined members of the families affected by the casualties to repose confidence on the traditional institution because prompt actions are being taken to allow peace to reign permanently in the town.

Tags: oyo state news