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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Controller of Customs in charge of Ogun 1 Area Command, Comptroller, Peter Kolo, has called for the support of traditional rulers in the state against the activities of smugglers.
Kolo made the call during courtesy visits to the Alake and the Paramount Ruller of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Agura of Gbagura, Oba Saburi Babajide Bakre and the Olu of Kobape, Oba Olufemi Allen-Taylor, declaring that operatives of the command are not a “killer squad” but a revenue generating agent operating under the rules and guidelines set up by the Federal Government.
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He noted that the Nigeria Customs Service as a federal government agency needed the support of all necessary stakeholders and the traditional rulers to curb the menace of smugglers who, according to him, have been sabotaging the economy of the country.
Kolo urged the traditional rulers to educate and enlighten their subjects particularly, the youths, on the need to see customs officers as friends who are working for the economic development of the nation.
On the recent clashes between Customs and smugglers which resulted into loss of lives of residents in Ayetoro and Owode towns in the state, the Controller said his command had taken some steps on how to forestall occurrence of such incidents.
His words: “I have witnessed some ugly incidents in the few weeks that I resumed in the state. There has been loss of lives through stray bullets during cross fire between customs and smugglers. And the worst thing is that the innocent lives were affected.
