Innocent father of two killed by stray bullet fired by Customs officials during clash with suspected smugglers in Ogun State

A 25-year-old father of two, Oriyomi Paul Ayomaya was killed by stray bullets fired by some officials of the Nigeria Customs Service at a checkpoint in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State on Sunday, October 22.

It was gathered that suspected smugglers reportedly hauled stones at the Customs officials, who had stationed their van at the checkpoint to prevent them from gaining entry into the town.

The officials responded with gunfire. A stray bullet hit Ayomaya, who was on a motorcycle on his way home from a returning from a filling station in the area. He died instantly.

The Public Relations Officer , NCS , Ogun Area Command, Abdullahi Maiwada, who confirmed the incident said the command had got a tip-off that some suspected smugglers had smuggled three tokunbo vehicles into the village from neighbouring Republic of Benin through the Idiroko border.

“It was when our operatives wanted to move the impounded vehicle to our Idiroko office that some hoodlums barricaded the roads with various objects,” said Maiwada. “Since our operatives did not want to shoot anyone , they started shooting continuously into air to scare away the hoodlums and to secure their own lives.

Eventually, our operatives succeeded in taking the impounded vehicle away. We later got the information that someone was hit by a stray bullet and he died instantly in the village. The person was not even among the hoodlums who blocked the road. It is a very sad development.” he added.