The Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, has asked officers to defend themselves if attacked in the course of discharging their lawful duties.
Ali gave the charge following the attack on some Customs facilities and personnel by suspected hoodlums who hijacked the recent #EndSARS protests.
In the wake of the protest, an Assistant Inspector of Customs, Solomon Alagye, attached to the NCS Ogun Area Command, lost his life while many others reportedly sustained injuries.
Comptroller of the command, Michael Agbara, who disclosed this while speaking in a chat with SHIPS & PORTS, said his officers exercised restraints when the hoodlums took advantage of the otherwise peaceful #EndSARS protest to attack its patrol base at Oke Ore, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
He said, “The Comptroller General has spoken and he has told the officers once you are attacked, defend yourself.
“The officers know that the management is behind them. So nobody is left alone. He has commiserated with us on the death of the officer who died during the #EndSARS protest in Idiroko and we have equally commiserated with the family.
“We will continue to encourage our officers because this is a national service. It is beyond individual interest. We have all agreed to lay down our lives for the country, so we cannot shy away from it.”