Some members of the gang of hoodlums captured after the incident.
Story by Dili Utomi.
In the late hours of Thursday, March 21, 2024, at about 2310 hours, the combined team of Yauri outstation under the Kebbi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service and surveillance officers were informed of a suspected smuggling activity at Yauri Waterside. Upon arriving at the scene, 41 bags of foreign parboiled rice were seized, secured, and taken to the outstation.
Later, a mob attack was launched by the aggrieved smugglers as they mobilised hoodlums to attack the outpost.
Upon sighting the mob, the management contacted the command and other sister agencies for reinforcement, which helped in containing the situation.
An injured officer.
In the midst of the attack, the OiC sustained a hand injury; 1 AK47 rifle was carted away but retrieved shortly; and 29 out of 41 bags of the seized rice were taken away by the attackers.
The mob went further to vandalise the OiC personal vehicle, the outstation ACs, chairs, tables, windows, doors, and other essentials put in place to support the operations of the outstation.
A damaged vehicle in the course of the attack.
Furthermore, in order make the situation to subside and also to lower the level of tension, the Kebbi State Governor hosted the Customs Area Controller on the way forward and normalcy has since been restored and further violence forestalled.
The Customs Area Controller, Iheanacho Ernest Ojike, has been in touch with the Commissioner of Police, and so far, some arrests have been made and an investigation was launched in view of arresting and prosecuting the criminals.
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