Customs officer allegedly shoots NURTW member over bag of rice

A yet to be idetified officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Oyo/Osun command has allegedly shot a member of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State.

The incident occurred at Moniya park in Iseyin town, one of the towns in Oyo State, Friday evening.

It was learnt that the officer shot the executive member of the proscribed NURTW, identified as Mr. Lateef Aboki at the Moniya park in Iseyin

The said officer was among three others in mufti and in a private Lexus Jeep.

They were said to have gone to the park while chasing a public transport vehicle to the park on suspicion of the vehicle carrying a bag of foreign rice.

The customs officers immediately left the scene when Aboki was hit by a bullet.

Aboki was later rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

The Lexus Jeep belonging to the Customs Officer has been towed to the Police station in Iseyin by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the town for further investigation.

The shot NURTW member is responding to treatment at the hospital as of the time of filing this report on Saturday.

Head of the park, Mr Lateef Shittu, confirmed the incident to journalists on Saturday.

Shittu said that he got a call that one of his executive members was shot by a customs officer at the park.

He said that he immediately contacted the Divisional Police officer (DPO) in Iseyin, who got to the spot immediately to take control of situation before it degenerated to chaos.

Shittu said, “I was called around 4pm that some customs officers in mufti chased a vehicle which they believed was carrying a bag of rice to our park and in the process, hit one of our buses.

“They were asked to identify themselves as they wore no uniform and were in a private Lexus Jeep and instead of doing that, they started shooting, unfortunately one of the bullets hit one of my executive members, named Lateef Aboki in the chest.

“We thank God that he is responding to treatment and we also call on the authority to warn the Nigerian Customs officers to apply decorum and professionalism when doing their job.

“The vehicle they chased did not carry any rice when they eventually searched it, why chasing vehicles with private vehicle and in mufti? Do they even need to chase vehicles in the town and be shooting when they know there are many people walking by or those unknowingly driving by”.