The Public Relations Officer, for Customs Area Controller, Ogun I Area Command, Abdullahi Maiwada in a statement said the incident happened on Friday evening when officers were on information patrol to Ilashe village in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.
According to Maiwada, “During their operation, they Intercepted 35 bags of smuggled parboiled rice of 50kg each ferried by a convoy of motorcyclists (popularly known as Okada) in the area.
“On their way out of the area, the diehard smugglers mobilised themselves in an overwhelming number, launched a vicious attack with assorted weapons on officers performing their lawful duties.”
He said effort made to repelled 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.
He explained further that, the wounded officer was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention, and luckily he is responding to treatment.
He added that five suspects members of the diehard smugglers have been arrested in connection with the incident and are currently undergoing interrogation.
Meanwhile, It is instructive to note that Friday was a date set aside for total lockdown in Ogun state due to the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We find it unfortunate and strange, that the daredevil smugglers who have no regards for laws of the land or the disease ravaging the global community resorted to crossing the border through illegal routes to perpetrate such nefarious activites in total disregard of the health and economic well being of Nigerians.
“Principally, we seize this opportunity to enjoin the faceless unpatriotic smuggling cartels to stop using uninformed youths as cannon fodders in their nefarious trade.
Chioma Business Blog 