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One Killed, 15 Injured By Custom’s Stray Bullet While Pursuing Rice Smugglers

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A student has been reportedly killed by a stray bullet fired by men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun State Command 1 while pursuing rice smugglers.

According to reports, the student identified as Sekinat Agbelade, was hit by the bullet at Agosasa in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.

Apart from Agelade, the Senior Secondary School 3 student hit by a stray bullet during the crossfire between the Customs and the smugglers which lasted several hours, 15 residents of the area were also reported injured.

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The student was hit by the bullet while returning from an errand for her parents, Naija News understands. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but died before she got there.

“In this trying time of COVID-19, we regret to announce the untimely death of one of the promising youths in the Ipokia Local Government Area, Miss Sekinat Agbelade, an SSS3 pupil, who was preparing for her examinations.

“She lost her life to a stray bullet from men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Command I, Ogun State.

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“Miss Sekinat Agbelade was said to be returning from an errand for her parents when she was hit by a bullet and died before she got to a nearby health centre.

“Eyewitnesses said it was a raid by men of the NCS, Ogun State Command, on alleged smugglers, which turned to a shoot-at-sight that cut short the life of youthful Sekinat, while leaving many persons seriously injured in the Agosasa ward of the local government,” the acting Coordinator, Ipokia Youth Forum, Deji Mawutin, told PUNCH Metro.

Lamenting the frequency of such activities in the area, Mawutin called on the leadership of the Nigeria Customs to control the activities of its men and ensure the lives of the residents are protected.

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“We totally frown on the way and manner in which the men of the NCS in our local government go about their activities with alleged smugglers.

“We call on the Area Comptroller, Agbara, to fish out the perpetrators and ensure that they face justice or he should await a rugged demonstration from the youths.

“We can’t continue to live in fear because we are from a border community,” he said.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident but noted he had yet to get a full brief about the incident from the Divisional Police Officer in Ipokia.