The people of Iseyin in Oyo State were in panic on Friday evening when a Customs officer reportedly shot an executive member of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lateef Aboki, at Iseyin-Moniya park in Iseyin.
The officer (name withheld) and three others in mufti who were reportedly driving a private Lexus Jeep, chased a public transport vehicle to the park on suspicion that the vehicle was carrying a bag of rice.
The head of the park, Lateef Shittu (Alias Akue) said he got a call that one of his executive members was shot by a Customs officer at the park and he immediately contacted the Divisional Police officer (DPO), Iseyin, who got to the spot immediately to take control of situation before it degenerated into chaos.
It was gathered that the Customs men were said to have fled when Aboki was hit by a bullet.
He was later said to be responding to treatment at a hospital in the town, an information which calmed members of the union who were spoiling for a showdown with the Customs officers.
READ ALSO: Customs reacts to the killing of a man by its official
“I was called around 4.p.m 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. 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 and we also call on the authorities to warn the Customs officers to apply decorum and professionalism when doing their job.
“The vehicle they chased did not carry any rice when they eventually searched it. Why chasing vehicles with private plate numbers while in a mufti? Do they even need to chase vehicles in the town and be shooting when they know there are many people walking by or those unknowingly driving by?”
The Divisional Police Officer, who was at the scene of the incident, persuaded the motorists not to take the law into their hands and later towed the Lexus Jeep belonging to the Customs officer to the police station for further investigation.
