Hyacinth Chinweuba
A 25 year old man identified as Keyinde was Wednesday killed by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Ebute, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Keyinde, farmer and son of a retired military officer and armed with cutlass was shot dead by officers who mistook him as smuggler.
Incidentally, the customs officers were said to be chasing a military truck being smuggled into the country in the Ebute area.
The source added that on shooting Kehinde, the customs operatives had left the scene, but returned immediately with 15 patrol vans to carry the corpse.
However, the customs officers were prevented from carrying the corpse by soldiers who apparently may have been contacted by the Kehinde’s father.
It was gathered that the body of Keyinde was later taken to Ilaro General Hospital mortuary where residents gathered to demand for justice.
The Public Relations Officer of NCS, Ogun State, Abdulah Maiwada, told newsmen that customs operatives were trailing a military truck being smuggled into the country.
According to Maiwada, some unscrupulous members of the community mobilized themselves by blocking the access road and started pelting officers with stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks and other dangerous items.
He added that as a result of the implication of such truck to national security, the officers resisted and called for reinforcement to cordon the area for the safe evacuation of the truck.
“Unfortunately, during the encounter, one of the hoodlums was shot in pelvic girdle and consequently died”, Maiwada said.
He also disclosed that the military truck has been seized and deposited at Customs House Abeokuta.
He said normalcy has returned following the intervention of Police, military personnel.