Checkpoint Accident: 4 Killed, Vehicles Set Ablaze, As Customs Officials Clash With Sokoto Community - Liberty TV/Radio - News - Voice For All! Vision For Alll!
Publisher (F.BA)
January 5, 2022
The accident happened in the early hours of Sunday at a checkpoint mounted by personnel of the Nigerian Customs Service, Asara unit of Illela Border Command in Sokoto state.
Eyewitness said the affected vehicles- two Toyota Avenses and a Golf Salon collided while trying to evade a stop and search of the customs officials at the checkpoint.
According to the source, one of the drivers involved was alleged to have loaded some contraband goods that included rice and vegetable oil and was trying to evade arrest.
Four persons were confirmed dead on the spot in two of the vehicles while six people sustained various injuries during the accident.
Customs spokesman in the state, Tahir Balarabe, while confirming the incident, described the occurrence as unfortunate, adding that two vehicles belonging to the Customs service and an officer in charge of the unit were set ablaze by the mob.
He however insisted that the officials were only carrying out their legitimate duties by preventing the entrance of contraband into the country as stipulated by the Customs and Excise law.