Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A team of officers of the Federal Operations Unit, Nigeria Customs Service, Zone B, were on Tuesday escaped lynching by youths suspected to have been hired by smugglers of foreign rice.
 
Some of the officers however sustained various degrees of injuries in the ensuing crisis when they intercepted a vehicle laden with bags of foreign parboiled rice suspected to have been smuggled into the-country through Kamba/Bunza road of Kebbi State.
This, according to a statement made available to Journalists by the Public Relations Officer of the Unit, ASCI Mailafiya Magaji,  led to an altercation between the rampaging youths and the Customs officers.
The statement added that in the ensuing melee, the youths attempted to disarm one of the officers, but a shot was fired to scare them which hit one of the youth on his left shoulder and died an hour later.
“A team of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone B, Kaduna operating along Kamba/Bunza road yesterday 10th November 2020 while on authorized patrol, intercepted a vehicle laden with bags of foreign parboiled rice suspected to have been smuggled into the-country around 0700hrs.
“The officers immediately came under attack by some youths from neighboring communities carrying dangerous weapons; this led to an altercation between them.
“In the ensuing melee, the youths attempted to disarm one of the officers and a shot was fired which unfortunately hit one of the youth on the lower parts of his left shoulder.
“The injured youth was immediately rushed to the general hospital Kamba. While some of our officers sustained various degree of injuries. The victim according to reports died an hour after getting to the hospital.
“Attempt was later made by some angry youths to burn down our barracks in Kamba which was repelled by a combine team of security operatives.
“Comptroller Sarkin Kebbi while expressing his sympathy to the victim’s family regretted the incident and needless loss of life.
 “He however cautioned the youths to resist the urge for needless confrontation with officers on lawful duty”. The statement said.