Provocative acts by some irate youths in Katsina State border communities caused recent shootings by personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Deputy Controller Dalha Wada Chedi has said.
Chedi said this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Katsina on Saturday.
Customs operatives on October 8, shot a 35-year-old man, Auwal Sani, at Fadi Gurje village, Mani local government area of Katsina State.
This came a month after an NCS patrol vehicle lost control while chasing some smuggers, killing five and injured several persons in Jibia local government area of the state.
On September 7, four Customs operatives fired at the official vehicle of the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ya’u Umar Gwajo, at Muduru village, few kilometers from Katsina city.
However, Chedi said investigations had revealed that the youths’ actions were driven by smugglers who usually instigate them with money to fight Customs’ officers.
“Particularly smugglers don’t have regard for Customs officers and its activities because they feel NCS is interfering in their businesses,” he said.
“We have discovered that smugglers in their bid to smuggle their goods, go to any length to influence the youths negatively. They incite the youths against customs officers by inducing them with money.
“On several occasions while trying to arrest smugglers, youths in their large numbers attack our men throwing stones at them, leaving the officers with the option of either to shoot or leave the smuggled goods and run for their dear life.
“They intentionally provoke you to shoot in Katsina. What would you do if you have a gun and people are throwing stones at you?” Chedi asked.
Chedi attributed the youths’ actions to ignorance, adding that they need to be educated on importance of Customs’ activities.
He, therefore, appealed to youths to desist from such act and to have regard and respect for the law.
