Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ has arraigned two alleged notorious smugglers in Lagos.
The suspects, Mr. Oyedeji Rashidi and Mr. Shuaib Sheyi were arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court, Ikeja, Lagos State on a nine-count charge of smuggling prohibited items.
The two suspects, according to Customs spokesman at the FOU, Jerry Attah, have been remanded in Ikoyi Prison on awaiting trial list as the case was adjourned to February 15, 2017.
Badejogbin David, who led the legal team of the Nigeria Customs Service prayed that the court to expedite the legal proceedings to serve as deterrent to others.
“You would recall that on Thursday, October 13, 2016, our field operatives, while on a tip-off trailed some smugglers to Alakuko /Kola Junction area of Agege, Lagos and intercepted two vehicles laden with smuggled rice.
However, while taking the seized goods to the office, one of the suspects, Oyedeyi Rashidi incited a mob attack against our operatives, who were armed with various dangerous weapons such as guns, cutlasses, broken bottle, sticks, stones among others, which resulted to a shootout between our men and the smugglers.
“While some of these hoodlums confronted our operatives, others rescued one of the arrested vehicles loaded with smuggled rice. Only the intervention of our reinforcement saved one of the vehicles, and ensured the arrest of a suspect. The professional conduct of our operatives prevented a complete breakdown of law and order or serious fatalities in a densely populated area.
“The Controller, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Comptroller Umar Mohammed Dahiru commended the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Fatai Owoseni for his prompt deployment of his men to stop what would have caused serious tensions and casualties,” Attah said.