There was tension at the Nigerian Army Shopping Arena, Bolade, in the Oshodi area of Lagos State on Thursday as some officers of the Nigeria Customs Service clashed with soldiers in the market.
Our correspondent gathered that trouble
started when the customs officers traced six missing containers,
suspected to have carried contraband, to the market and moved to impound
them.
It was learnt that
soldiers at the market prevented the customs officers from impounding
the containers, which were driven into the shopping arena, commonly
called Arena Market.
It was learnt that there was panic in
the market, as the customs officers engaged the soldiers in a
free-for-all, during which business activities were disrupted.
When our correspondent got to the area around 12pm, police vans, NCS vehicles and military vans were observed in the market.
A resident, who identified himself only
as Michael, said the soldiers insisted that the customs officers did not
have the right to impound anything in the military market.
He said, “The clash happened around 9am.
The customs men had wanted to impound some containers; but some
soldiers resisted the move, which led to a clash between the two
security agencies.
“Nobody died or sustained injury, but
there was tension in the market. Business activities were disrupted. It
took the intervention of the Commanding Officer, 9 Brigade, to quell the
fracas, as he gave an order that his men should allow customs officers
to do their job.”
The spokesperson for the 81 division of
the Nigerian Army, Colonel Samuel Kingsley, said the customs men
initially did not “follow due procedures,” adding that they were allowed
to take the containers away when due process was followed.
He said, “The customs men trailed some
contraband goods. But due process was not followed. When they got their
procedures right, we allowed them to have access to the place.
“There are procedures. You don’t just
enter the barracks without permission. We are not a lawless society and
we do not allow such things. So, when the customs got their procedures
right, they were allowed in. There was no commotion.”
The Public Relations Officer, NCS,
Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, Lagos State, Jerry Attah, confirmed that
the customs seized six containers from the market, adding that the
military men assisted in the arrest, and there was no clash.
He said, “We have a good working
relationship with the military. Based on information, our men trailed
six 40-foot containers to the Arena Market, and we contacted the
Commanding Officer of the 9 Brigade. They gave us maximum cooperation
and assistance.
“There was no commotion. We are waiting
for the owners of the containers to come before we will open the
containers for examination.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations
Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, had yet to reply to a text message sent to
her phone on the incident.
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