An officer of the Nigerian Customs reportedly shot an executive member of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers , Lateef Aboki , in the chest on Friday at Iseyin -Moniya park in Iseyin , Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State .
The Customs officer ( name withheld ) , among three others in mufti in a private Lexus Jeep, allegedly chased a commercial vehicle into the park on the suspicion that the vehicle carried a bag of rice and in the process shot the motorist.
The head of the park , Mr Lateef Shittu , a .k .a Akue , said he got a call that one of his executive members was shot by a customs officer at the park and immediately contacted the Divisional Police Officer in Iseyin .
He stated that the DPO arrived at the scene immediately to put the situation under control before it degenerated into chaos .
The men of the Nigerian Customs were said to have fled the scene following the incident .
The victim was reported to be responding to treatment at a hospital in the town.
Akue said , “I was called around 4 pm 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 but 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 . We call on the authority to warn the Nigerian Customs officers to apply decorum and professionalism when doing their job .
“The vehicle they chased did not carry rice when they eventually searched it. Why chasing vehicles with private number plates and in mufti ? Do they even need to chase vehicles in the town and be shooting when they know there are many people walking by or unknowingly driving by ?”
The Divisional Police officer , who was at the scene persuaded the motorists not to take the law into their hands .
The vehicle, belonging to the Customs Officers, was later towed to the police station for further investigation .
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Police Command , Olugbenga Fadeyi , confirmed the incident , saying that the matter was being investigated .
Fadeyi said , “ The Customs officers were in mufti . They trailed a vehicle down and in the process , a member of the proscribed NURTW in Iseyin was short . The man in question is currently recuperating at the hospital and the matter is being transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation .”
