Commercial activities were, on Wednesday 21st 2017, disrupted at Kayiero Market in Sango, Ogun State, following the alleged burglary of shops by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). Over 4,000 bags in of rice in 12 trucks were said to have been carted away by the officers.
They were said to have stormed the market, accompanied by military men, at3am. Rice taken away was valued at over N100million.
A trader, who was informed of the raid by a friend, said she was helpless when she got to the market, as the officers were ready to shoot at anybody.
“When my friend called and told me that customs officers were carrying away bags of rice at the market with trailers, I rushed out of the house and on getting there, I saw soldiers and the Customs officers with guns. They were being ordered to shoot at anybody who went near them.
“Over 70 bags were taken from my shop. That is about N1.5million lost,” she said. She added that a trader named Kudi, alias Dangote, had over 385 bags taken from her shops. About N4million cash, she added, was also stolen from her safe, as situation that has sent her to the hospital.
“We should ask why the Customs officers allowed to pass through the borders. The owners of those shops were not around at 3am when they came. What they did was a display of incompetence,” said the trader.
Another rice seller, who introduced himself as Mr. Owolabi, called on Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to intervene in the matter.
“This is nothing but stealing. I wonder why they came at the time to break into over 100 shops and take away rice. This is the second time the Customs will be doing something like this. On February 23, 2015, some Customs officers shot a 15-year old girl while returning from a raid. She died the next day,” he said.
He added that no fewer than four traders are on admission at different hospitals.
