Police identify victim of customs, smugglers clash

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor, has identified the man that was killed on Tuesday during a clash at Sawmill Garage, Ilorin, between some customs officials and some suspected smugglers, as Usman Lasoju.

Aisaibor on Thursday explained that the customs men were chasing a loaded commercial bus marked, KWARA, SHA 136 XA, driven by one Bashiru Ajadi.

He added that Ajadi, aged 30, was a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Otte branch, and was coming from Lagos.

“At Sawmill Garage, the customs men opened fire and in the process, Usman Lasoju, a member of RTEAN was killed. The corpse has been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital while investigation is in progress,” Aisabor said.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Motor Dealers Association has said none of its members was involved in the clash between the customs officials and suspected smugglers.

In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Kadir Aminu and General Secretary, Alhaji Rasheed Hadi, the union said the driver of the vehicle, said to have been used for smuggling, was not a member of the association.

It said that the Kwara State motor dealers were law abiding citizens of the nation. It added that members of the association were in the business of buying and selling vehicles which had been contributing to the economic growth of Nigeria.