Some residents of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, have accused men of the Oyo/Osun Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, of aiding smuggling activities.
The residents gave the accusation while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Some of the residents of Ilupeju, Bakatari and Omi-Adio communities, in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, who alleged that some of the men from Oyo/Osun Command, are in the habit of aiding and abetting smuggling activities along Idi-Iroko – Abeokuta – Ibadan routes, stated that the men usually pursue commercial buses to some of the villages along the Ibadan-Abeokuta road for failure to pay certain amount of money as bribe.
They further revealed that the Customs’ men had created some locations along the routes where bags of rice are deposited and later sold to members of the public.
The residents, while condemning the illegal operations of the Customs officers, maintained that some of the officers derived pleasure in extorting Nigerians along the Ibadan-Abeokuta road.
They therefore called on the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Ahmed Ali (retired), to ensure that the culprits are punished.
A community leader in Bakatari, Pa Odusanya Jacob, who spoke on behalf of the residents, condemned what he called unpatriotic habit of the Customs’ men.
He further revealed some of the warehouses in Ibadan where smuggled rice and other contrabands are kept, secured and policed by same unpatriotic Customs’ men, who demand in return millions of naira from the owners.
He said, “We condemned this unpatriotic attitude among the Customs officers, who work by double standards. They pretend to be patriotic officers when pursuing motorists, whereas their motive was bad.
“They only go after those motorists who failed to pay bribe to them. On the other hand, all motorists who paid the stipulated bribe were allowed access without hindrance.Only to come round to disturb the peace of the community when pursuing those motorists who evade payment of bribe.
“We reject this act of sabotage and unpatriotic act among the officers of the Nigeria Customs of Oyo/Osun Command.
“We know of filling stations along Ibadan-Abeokuta road, that have been turned to warehouses by these officers. If you check you will discover that these filling stations are where they use as shops to dispose smuggled rice as well as hundreds of bags of rice seized from motorists.”
A farmer, who lives at Aba-Oke village, along Ibadan-Abeokuta road, alleged that smugglers who are in the good books of the officers paid as much as N250,000 each as bribe to the officers to gain ticket to smuggle goods into the city of Ibadan.
The tickets, he said grant access to identified smugglers, who enjoyed special treatment from officers at road blocks.
A commercial bus driver who identified himself as Olojo, also accused Customs’ men at check points along Abeokuta – Ibadan road, of chasing after some commercial buses who failed to give them bribe.
But when contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Oyo/Osun Command, Mr. Kayode Wey, described the allegations as false, stating that men of the Command are well trained to shun corruption.
He said, “We don’t do that in Oyo/Osun Command. Our officers cannot do that. I have never come across such thing. All these are just allegations. Officers of Oyo/Osun Command do not participate in such act.
“Our officers have been properly trained. How can an officer trained by law be giving tickets to smugglers. To the best of my knowledge, all these are not true. Oyo/Osun Command officers cannot connive with smugglers.”
