The Yewa Traditional Council in Ogun State has decried the incessant killing of members of the community by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in the agency’s war against smugglers in Yewa South Local Government Area.
The Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, on behalf of other traditional rulers, decried the killings at a press conference on Monday.
He said NSC should rather than expose its inefficiency by killing innocent Nigerians at towns and communities outside the borderline communities in its anti-smuggling operations, the service should endeavour to block illegal routes being used by smugglers.
“I don’t know when a bag of rice becomes a valuable item than the life of any human being. They should not take laws into their hands.
“They should seal up any property housing contraband goods rather than raiding shops which could lead clash. The government has the power to confiscate anything.
“The question is how did contraband goods get to town considering the number of checkpoints along the border axis?. We are not at war with the NCS. We demand justice and wants the perpetrators of Owode killings brought to book.
“We are not only speaking the minds of the Yewa people but the minds of Nigerians. The Federal Government and the NCS should improve on surveillance of the border lines areas,” Olugbenle said.
He urged President Muhammadu Buhari, the acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and other security agencies to urgently wade into the danger posed by NSC operatives.
