The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Kebbi has vowed to arrest and bring to book suspected hoodlums who attacked its personnel at the Yauri outstation in the state.

SC Mohmmed Tajudeen-Salisu, the command’s spokesperson, made this known in a statement issued to journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.

He said, “In the late hours of Thursday, March 21, at about 11:00 p.m., a combined team of Yauri outstation and surveillance received credible information on a suspected smuggling activity at Yauri Waterside.

“Upon arriving the scene, 41 bags of foreign parboiled rice were seized, secured, and taken to the outstation.”

This, he added, led to a mobilisation of hoodlums to attack its outpost coordinated by the aggrieved smugglers.

Mr Tajudeen-Salisu explained that the management then contacted the command and other sister agencies for reinforcement, which helped in containing the situation.

“In the midst of the attack, the Officer In-Charge (OiC) sustained a hand injury; one AK47 rifle was carted away but retrieved shortly; and 29 out of 41 bags of the seized rice were taken away by the attackers.

“The mob went further to vandalise the OiC personal vehicle, the outstation area command’s chairs, tables, windows, doors, and other essentials put in place to support the operations of the outstation,” he said.

The spokesman revealed that the customs area controller, Iheanacho Ernest-Ojike, had been in touch with the police command, saying that some arrests had been made “while investigation is ongoing to arrest and prosecute the criminals.”

(NAN)