Smugglers machete customs officer in Ogun

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) at the weekend raised the alarm as suspected daredevil smugglers severely cut the left arm of one of its officers in Ibeji River, around Idogo-Ifoyintedo axis in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The officer, Musa Muhammed Maigari, and his colleagues in a joint patrol team of Command Crack Squad and Federal Operations Unit (FOU A) were on the trail of the smugglers and eventually intercepted a Toyota Highlander smuggled into the country through the river, while some of them ambushed and macheted Maigari on his left hand.

He was on a routine patrol when they suddenly got hints that smugglers were approaching the river with a smuggled Toyota Highlander. He and his crew hurried to the location and intercepted the vehicle. The smugglers resorted to confrontation with the operatives and in an attempt aimed at his head, he dodged it with his hand and got seriously injured.

The Public Relations Officer, NCS Ogun Area Command, Maiwada said: “One of our operatives was savagely attacked with a machete on Wednesday at Ibeji River around Idogo-Ifoyintedo axis in Idiroko. The cut was life threatening. The smugglers were armed and they confronted our operatives, but our operatives successfully intercepted the Toyota Highlander with chasis no: STDJKRFHES059484, being smuggled through the forest. It is currently in the command’s custody at Sentry, Idiroko border. The command will not relent in curbing smuggling activities around Idiroko border and Ogun State as a whole.”

He said Maigari was first rushed to the General Hospital at Idiroko for treatment, adding that the injured officer had since been transferred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, for comprehensive treatment. His left hand was badly macheted very close to his shoulder. He is in the hospital where doctors are battling to see if they can save him from amputation.”