Five feared dead in Customs, smugglers’ shoot-out

No fewer than five persons were feared dead when men of the Ogun State Command of Nigeria Customs Service allegedly engaged in a shoot-out with smugglers of ‘Tokunbo’ vehicles in Oju-Ore area of Ota in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

A source who witnessed the incident told journalists that the Customs officers were on the trail of the smugglers from Owode area in Yewa South Local Government before they later caught up with them at Oju-Ore.

But in a swift reaction, the state Public Relations Officer of Customs, Usman Abdullahi, said he was not aware of the development but he said he would get back after investigation.

“I am not aware of that, but I will do my investigation and findings, and whatever it is, I will get you posted,” said the PRO of Customs.

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The source said the smugglers had successfully smuggled in three expensive cars, including a 2014 model Range Rover. However, they were intercepted at their base in Ota.

The smugglers, it was gathered, alighted from their vehicles in the densely populated Oju-Ore bus stop where they eventually attacked the Customs officers with dangerous weapons, including guns while the officers also replied.

The gun duel, which reportedly lasted for about 45 minutes, left the five people injured and they were rushed to the General Hospital, Ota.

It was also gathered that one of the vehicles conveying the Customs officers hit a passer-by, who was taken to the same hospital for attention.

The source explained that it took the intervention of the state combined special security outfit called, ‘OP Mesa’ and men of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad to douse the tension in the area.

As of the time of filing this report, the source explained that men of the Customs and the smugglers were variously sighted at the hospital, where the injured were being attended to.

See what a woman allegedly did to her househelp (graphic photos)