2 die, others injured as customs officers allegedly chase suspected smugglers in Oyo

 

No fewer than two persons have lost their lives in a road accident which involved some officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and individuals suspected to be smugglers.

It was gathered that the incident occurred along the Iseyin-Ibadan road in Oyo State on Thursday.

Sources explained that the customs officers were chasing some people suspected to be smugglers when the accident occurred, leading to the death of a customs officer and a resident of the state whose identity is yet to be revealed.

Some Customs officers and other residents involved in the accident sustained various degrees of injuries and are still in hospital as of the time of filing this report.

One of the eyewitnesses who asked not to be named told newsmen that the remains of the vehicle used in chasing the people suspected to be smugglers had been moved to Iseyin.

“There was an accident that occurred yesterday. It was the customs officers who said they were chasing some people suspected to be smugglers. In the process, they had an accident and two people died. The vehicle has been towed to Iseyin”.

Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Oyo and Osun Command, Kayode Wey, when contacted, said he was not aware of the incident.

But the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Operating Unit (FOU) Zone A of NCS, Theophilus Duniya, while confirming the accident, said it was a lone accident.

Duniya said on Friday that the Customs officers were not chasing anyone when the incident happened.

He maintained that only one customs officer died as a result of the accident.

“It was a lone accident. We lost one of our officers. Others are responding to treatment. They were not pursuing anyone”.