An unnamed officer of the Nigeria Customs Service has suffered severe injuries in a skirmish between the Adamawa/Taraba Command of the NCS and some suspects who were smuggling fuel at the Nigerian-Cameroon border.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, Ms. Naomi Titus, said in a press release that the incident occured on Sunday, March 17, 2024, when the Customs officers chased the smugglers on the Mubi-Sahuda road.
Narrating the incident, Titus explained that during the operation, three tricycles loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), suspected to be smuggled out of the country into the Republic of Cameroon, were intercepted.
The officers, according to her, encountered fierce resistance from the suspects, who launched a violent attack, trying to set the officers and their official vehicles on fire.
“Fortunately, after a call for reinforcement, the Nigerian Army intervened, averting a potential disaster,” she said.
“However, one officer sustained severe injuries, and the windshield of an operational vehicle was shattered during the attack.”
According to the public relations officer, despite the resistance, the team managed to secure, evacuate, and seize 45x25L jerry cans of PMS.
“These are all part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s committed efforts to safeguard the nation’s borders and curb illegal smuggling activities,” she said.
