An Inspector of Customs (IC) Haruna A was injured after some suspected smugglers launched an attack on officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCoS) in a Katsina border town.
The hoodlums, armed with dangerous weapons, were said to have attacked the officers and men of the agency attached to the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’, on Wednesday while on anti-smuggling patrol along the Dankama Area of Katsina State at about 13: 00 hours.
In a Friday statement, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’ Kaduna, SC Isah Sulaiman, maintained that the wounded officer was rushed to a hospital for proper medical attention and is responding to treatment.
“It is pertinent to state that the Nigeria Customs Service is an agency that is saddled with the responsibility of enforcing government fiscal policies for collective societal good. The unit’s officers would not fold their arms and allow smugglers who have no regard for the laws of the land to perpetrate their nefarious activities to the detriment of our security and economic well-being,” the statement added.
“On this note, Comptroller FOU ‘B’, Musa Ibrahim Jalo is very concerned about the injuries inflicted on his officer and directed a full-scale investigation to fish out the perpetrators of this barbaric act. He stated that any further attacks on any officer of the Unit would not be tolerated and would be treated with utmost resistance from our operatives.
“He added that such violent attacks will never deter the operatives of the Unit from carrying out their legitimate duties, no matter whose ox is gored.”
The statement further appealed to traditional rulers, parents, and community leaders to warn their subjects to desist from attacking security operatives as anyone caught shall face the consequences of his action.