OPERATIVES of the Ogun I Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, patrol team on surveillance were last week attacked by smugglers who matcheted a member of the team after it seized 35 bags of 50kg of smuggled parboiled rice at Ilashe village in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State.
A statement signed by the Command’s Public Relation Officer, Maiwada Abdullahi, said that during the operation, the team intercepted 35 bags of 50kg rice each ferried by a convoy of motorcyclists (popularly known as okada).
According to Abdullahi, on their way out of the area, the smugglers mobilised themselves in an overwhelming number, launching a vicious attack on the team with assorted weapons.
In an effort to repel the attack and avoid bloodshed, one officer of the Customs, Assistant Superintendent Chidi Johnson, was brutally matcheted, sustaining deep cuts in various parts of his body.
The wounded officer was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention, and luckily he is responding to treatment.
Abdullahi stated that the operatives, however, arrested five suspects in connection with the incident and that these suspects were currently undergoing interrogation.
