300 Injured In Stampede As Customs Officers Open Fire In Zamfara Market

zamfara-mapAt least 350 people were yesterday injured in a stampede following the firing of gunshots into the air by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at a market in Tsafe town of Zamfara State.

The incident reportedly happened when the officers of the NCS, who were conveying an impounded vehicle loaded with smuggled bags of rice to their headquarters, unexpectedly started firing shots into the air to make way for their vehicles as they raced through the market which was very busy as it was a market day.

The sound of the gunshots frightened traders and buyers, who ran for dear life thinking armed robbers, had invaded the market.

It was learnt that touts used the opportunity presented by the fleeing traders in the market to loot abandoned stalls and shops. Some of the affected traders claimed to have lost property worth millions of naira to the thieves in the incident.

In his reaction, the state Comptroller of the NCS,   Alhaji M. Z. Umaru denied that the officers were from his command, saying that they might be from the Federal Operation Unit.

He, however, assured the victims that his command would undertake a thorough investigation into the matter with a view to bringing identifying the officers involved and bring them to book.

-Daily Trust

 

1 COMMENT