We gave seven bags of rice to bandits to save our lives - Customs officer

A senior official of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Aliyu Mohammed, has narrated how his officers had to give armed bandits they met in the bush 7 bags of rice in other to save their lives and avoid being lynched. 

Mohammed, who is the Coordinator of the Sector 4 Command of the Joint Border Patrol Team in the North West, during a press briefing in Katsina state on Tuesday, March 9, said his men had gone to the forest in Dutsinma Local Government Area of the state to stop the activities of smugglers. 

He added that they encountered the bandits along the bush who were obviously taking shelter in the bush. 

He said the bandits who appeared friendly had asked for the bags of rice and in other to save their lives they offered seven out of the 37 bags of rice seized from smugglers to the bandits. 

''We (the operatives) seized 37 bags of rice and the bandits asked for seven bags before allowing them to pass and save their lives.

So, you see the risk we take but people, especially those living along the border communities engaged in attacking our officers," he said.