An officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was allegedly killed when a joint task force, comprising of the Military, Police, Customs, Immigration and the DSS had a face off with the youths of Imasayi, In Yewa North local government area of Ogun State.
Informstion had it thst some youths had confrinted the Taskforce on Saturday night when they engaged the some smugglers while conveying some illegal goods.
The suspected smugglers were said to have resisted arrest; a situation that led to violence.
Properties worth millions of Naira had been destroyed in the riot, which resulted in the death of the yet-to-be identified Customs officer as many others sustained various degrees of injuries.
On Sunday, anti riot policemen were mobilised to take over Imasayi to restore normalcy.
An indigene of the community told Our Correspondent that residents of Imasayi fled the community for fear of being arrested by the police.
The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun 1 Command of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, has confirmed the incident.
Maiwada told reporters that the NCS operatives were on routine anti-smuggling operations when they had an encounter with the youths; adding that the officer was brutally murdered
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has called for restraint in the use of lethal arms by law enforcement officers in the State.
The Governor said he has had to intervene in the unrest that erupted in Imasayi in the Yewa North LGA of the State, when a joint task force, comprising of the Military, Police, Customs, Immigration and the DSS had a face off with the youths of the Community which resulted in untimely death of an officer.
Abiodun said he has been in contact with relevant authorities in the Army and the Nigeria Customs Service.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, added that talks are ongoing towards apprehending the suspects who allegedly killed a uniformed officer in the melee.
A manhunt, the statement said, has therefore been launched on the suspect who also made away with the slain officer's weapon.
Already, the manhunt as at this morning (Sunday), the statement disclosed, has yielded result with the recovery of the said stolen rifle, but the search to identify and arrest the culprits continues under the strict directive of the Governor.
Fortunately, he added, suspects already arrested in connection with this criminal act are giving useful information that would lead to the arrest of the main suspect.
Governor Abiodun urged law enforcement agents to exercise restraint and be humane in carrying out their duties.
He, however, warned that the Ogun State Government will not condone assault on any serving officer of the Military, Nigeria Police and the Paramilitary who daily sacrifice their private lives to serve the public.
He commiserates with families of the slain officer and promised that no stone would be left unturned to unearth the circumstance of the crisis.
The Governor also called on law-abiding residents of the Community to go about their usual activities, as peace has since returned to the axis with the presence of Riot Police and officers of the Nigerian Army.
Investigation will continue until the murder suspect and other culpable persons are apprehended, the statement concluded.
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