Police Raid Imo Community Over Death Of Customs Officer

No fewer than 48 persons were arrested by the anti- robbery squad of
the Imo State Police Command at Umuhu community in Ngor- Okpala
Council Area of the State in the early hours of yesterday, after the
murder of a Customs officer.

It was gathered that, at about 9 pm on Tuesday, Customs officers who
were relaxing inside their checkpoint tent opposite the Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) office at Mbutu Okoahia in Umuhu community,
were attacked by yet-to-be identified assailants who hacked one of
them to death.

A reliable source in the community told Daily Sun that the late
Customs officer had gone to the back of the tent to find out why their
power generating set stopped abruptly, unknown to him and his
colleagues that the assailants, who apparently disrupted their power
supply, were lying in wait in the nearby bush.

According to the source, the deceased was attacked with an axe and his
loud cry attracted his colleagues, who rushed to the scene and were
attacked with matchets and axe .

Though the other two officers escaped with serious injuries, the first
victim, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, died instantly.

Confirming the attack on the Customs men, an official of the FRSC,
who pleaded anonymity, said the murdered Customs officer was stabbed
on the back by his attackers.

When contacted, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo
Lakanu, said shortly after the attack, a crack team of the special
anti- robbery squad was deployed to the community to comb for the
assailants,adding that the hoodlums also stole two service pistols
belonging to the attacked Customs officers.

He said those who have been arrested would be interrogated and if not
found culpable, would be released, assuring that the police had spread
its dragnet wide to arrest those behind the attack.
Meanwhile, most villagers had deserted their homes for fear of being arrested.

-TheSunNews