Four persons have been reported dead in a gunfire that ensued between some smugglers and a combined anti-smuggling patrol team of men of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and soldiers of Operation OP MESA.
According to reports, the shootout occurred around 8.30am on Saturday in Ilara Town, Imeko-Afon local government of Ogun State.
The identities of those killed remain a mystery.
However, it was learnt that the smugglers, who were in a convoy, had attempted to move bags of rice from Ilara, a border town, to the Ogun State capital, Abeokuta, when they ran into the anti-smuggling patrol team.
The patrol team was said to have attempted to impound the goods when the smugglers resisted, leading to a gunfight that reportedly lasted few minutes.
Sunday Sun quoted Ogun State Area Command Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, as confirming the incident but failing to give the casualty figure.