No fewer than 6 persons were feared dead, yesterday, in Imeko, Imeko Afon Council Area of Ogun state, when men of the Nigerian Customs Service stationed in the area engaged smugglers of fairly used cars , popularly called Tokunbo, in a gun duel .
Trouble started when Customs officers, said to be in pursuit of suspected car smugglers from Benin Republic, allegedly started shooting indiscriminately, hitting the victims in the process.
An eye witness account said a staff of Imeko Afon Council,Mr. Ademola Akinola ,who was among those caught in the cross-fire died instantly. Also hit by the Customs’ stray bullets were three yet-to-be-identified policemen and some indigenes of the area.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Imeko Afon Council Area , Chief Albert Asipa who spoke to THISDAY on phone, said the incident happened at exactly 8.00 a.m yesterday. Asipa disclosed that the remains of his staff, Mr. Ademola Akinola, a revenue collector who was shot had been deposited at the morgue.
THISDAY gathered that the incident sparked off a violent protest by the people of the area who stormed the Customs’ posts , destroying everything on sight.
Meanwhile, the Council boss has appealed to his people to remain calm and maintain law and order.
Aside the Council staff who was confirmed dead, unconfirmed sources said the other five victims died while being rushed to the Abeokuta General Hospital which is quite a distance.
When contacted,Comptroller of Customs, Alhaji Yinusa Alao Saka confirmed the incident,t hough he said he had not been properly briefed.
Ogun State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Awoyale, however told THISDAY that the incident was news to him .
Feb142008