It was a black sallah day yesterday when Four persons were allegedly shot dead through stray bullets, while others were critically injured yesterday in Iseyin, Oke Ogun area of Oyo State when men of the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) engaged in sporadic shootings with at some suspected smugglers.
It was gathered through some residents who pleaded anonymity that the Customs operatives started shooting sporadically after intercepting certain smuggled goods which were ferried into Iseyin through the borders.
According to the residents, some individuals who were out for Sallah celebrations were allegedly caught up by the stray bullets.
The accidental killing however sparked off confusion in the sleepy town as relations and friends of those affected in the shootings trooped out protesting.
Another resident of the ancient town who did not want his name mentioned in an interview pleaded with the Federal Government and Customs Authorities to protect the people of Iseyin from unwarranted killings through stray bullets of men of the Nigerian Customs virtually each time they engage in shooting sprees with smugglers.
It would be recalled that similar engagement of smugglers by personnel of the customs recently led to a face off between them and members of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Iseyin , whose chairman was allegedly hit by their bullets.
The Public Relations Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service Oyo/ Osun Area Command, Mr Kayode Wey and that of the state Police Command, Mr Adewale Osifeso, could not be reached as their known mobile numbers were switched off.
