Ibadan Residents Decry Customs’ Invasion of Markets

…call on Govt for urgent Intervention

Ibadan residents have expressed their displeasure and anger over the recent invasion of two Popular Markets in the state; Oja-Oba and Bodija market by men of the Nigeria Customs services (NCS), describing the Customs Unit’s behavior as “barbaric, illegal and outdated”.


The aggrieved residents have now made a plea to the state and Federal government to proffer a lasting solution to prevent a reoccurrence of this inhumane act by men of the Customs Services before affected citizens resort to self-help which may eventually escalate issues.

One Mr. Samson Adewale, a resident of Ibadan, described the actions of men of the Nigerian Customs Services as dictatorial, saying that the way the NCS officers Invaded and carted away the traders’ goods which serve as their means of livelihood and survival was wicked.

Adewale stressed that it was disheartening and painful that the men of NCS had invaded Ibadan three consecutive times, while bags of rice and other valuable goods worth millions of naira were carted away by them.

He also criticized them for concentrating on Ibadan traders who spent millions of naira to have their goods bought from their respective sources and routes and asked where the men of NCS were when the bags of rice were still at the border.

Another resident, Jamiu Soliu condemned the silence of the Federal Government and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State who he accused of failure and reluctance to speak up in defence of markets and traders whose shops were being burgled by men of the NCS.

Soliu added that the silence of the government about the current condition of traders whose shops were burgled proves that they do not care about the masses they were elected to protect. He then called on all government functionaries to call men of the NCS to order, to avoid inflicting further suffering and hardship on the traders and masses, adding that calling them to order will prevent people from resorting to self-defense and possibly escalating the current issue.

The residents also hailed Senator Muhammed Kola Balogun, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District at the National Assembly for speaking the truth and standing for the victims against alleged injustice and wickedness being perpetrated by men of NCS.