There was grief in Iseyin, Iseyin Local Government Council Area of Oyo State as an official of the Nigerian Customs Service shot at a driver.
The driver, Lateef Aboki, an executive member of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers, was said to have been shot at the Iseyin-Moniya park in Iseyin.
It was learnt that the Customs officers, all wearing mufti, and riding in a private Lexus Jeep, chased a commercial vehicle to the park on suspicion that there was a bag of rice in the vehicle.
The aggrieved NURTW members at the scene blamed the Customs officer for over reacting.
The park leader, Mr Lateef Shittu, a.k.a Akue, said he got a call indicating that one of his members was shot at the park by a Customs officer.
When he contacted the Divisional Police officer in Iseyin, he stated that the DPO came to put the situation under control before it degenerated into chaos.
Oyo Reporters gathered that the men of the Nigerian Customs Service concerned fled the scene shortly after the incident.
The victim was said to be responding to treatment at a hospital in Iseyin.
Akue 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 but 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. We 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 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 unknowingly driving by?”
The Divisional Police officer, who was at the scene persuaded the motorists not to take law into their hands.
The vehicle, belonging to the Customs Officers, was later towed to the police station for further investigation.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Police Command, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident, saying that the matter was being investigated.
Fadeyi said, “The Customs officers were in mufti. They trailed a vehicle down and in the process, a member of the proscribed NURTW in Iseyin was short. The man in question is currently recuperating at the hospital and the matter is being transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.”
