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Monarch bans residents from leasing out house to custom officers

The Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Salaudeen Adekunle Ajinase 1 wants the officers of Nigeria custom service,NCS to be relocated away from the ancient town.

The monarch who stated this in an interview with radio Nigeria noted that such step would put an end to wanton loss of lives often caused by fracas between NCS and smugglers.

He further directed residents never to rent their property for the use of the customs as anyone that violate such order according to the aseyin would be considered a saboteur.

Aseyin of iseyin however sympathies with families of the deceased and also assured them that justice will be done

In the same vein,
Iseyin Elders Council,IEC, has called for prosecution of officers and men of Nigeria Customs Service who allegedly shot and killed five passersby in Iseyin on Sallah day while allegedly chasing some smugglers at barracks area of the ancient town.

The IEC Vice-Chairman who was also a former Commissioner for Works and Transport in Oyo State, Alhaji Bolaji Kareem, said it was high time federal government restrict activities of men of Customs to designated border posts while families of the slain innocent people should be adequately compensated.

He also called for a panel to be instituted to thoroughly investigate the incident.

Reacting to the incident, Spokesperson for NCS, Zone A, Theophilus Duniya in a statement made available to newsmen explained that the mob attacked the officers with dangerous weapons which led to the infliction of serious injuries on two officers.

Mr Duniya said the mob had attempted to abduct one of the officers who was brutally attacked.

He explained that the smugglers had mobilized themselves with the help of some thugs; attacked a patrol team serving with Federal Operations Unit Zone A, who were on lawful duty at Iseyin.

The officers who were on routine patrol intercepted two Nissan Pathfinder SUV vehicles fully loaded with smuggled foreign parboiled rice at Iseyin.

Sequel to the interception, the officers were attacked by a mob who were mobilized by the smugglers.

The assailants had taken the injured officer with his rifle before his team members acted in self-defence, shot at his suspected abductors leading to the death of three of them before he was rescued and taken for immediate medical attention.

The officers were able to successfully evacuate the intercepted smuggled rice, while the injured officers are currently receiving treatment.

Contrary to the NCS,explanation, a family of one of the victims, Mr Martins Gbadegesin said his 26 years old younger brother had only wanted to repair the tyre of his motorcycle when a stray bullet hit him and the vulcanizer killing the both of them instantly.

The victim Timothy who left behind three children had been buried on Friday according to Islamic rites.

Meanwhile, the officers of the Nigeria customs Service had fled iseyin to avoid any attack.