By Steve Agbota
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), yesterday said it neutralises three smugglers who planned to abduct officer inline of duty in Oyo State.
In a press statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Theophilus Duniya, the smugglers were on the verge of abducting an injured Officer after seizing his rifles during interception of smuggled rice in Oyo.
According to him, the assailants had taken the injured officer with his rifle before his team members acted in self defence to rescue their injured colleague.
He said: “At about 1500 hours of Thursday, May 13, 2021, some dare devil smugglers mobilised themselves with the help of some thugs; attacked a patrol team serving with Federal Operations Unit Zone A, who were on lawful duty at Iseyin.
The officers who were on routine patrol intercepted two Nissan Pathfinder SUV vehicles fully loaded with smuggled foreign parboiled rice at Iseyin. Sequel to the interception, the officers were attacked by a mob who were mobilised by the smugglers.
“The mob attacked the officers with dangerous weapons which led to the infliction of serious injuries on two officers. In an attempt to abduct one of the officers that was brutally attacked; who sustained deep cuts on his head and other parts of his body.”
“The assailants had taken the injured officer with his rifle before his team members whom acted in self defence, shot at his suspected abductors leading to the death of three of them before he was rescued and taken for immediate medical attention.”