Fulltime member, Oyo State, Local Government Service Commission, Hon. Najim Oyeshina Oyedeji(OShine) has commiserated with the families of 5 Iseyin youths whose deaths were allegedly orchestrated by men of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on a joyous day that Muslims across the globe were celebrating the festivity of Eid-El-Fitr.
OShine in a condolence statement he personally signed and made available to naijatodaynews.com, described the ugly phenomenon of killings as a dastardly act being allegedly perpetrated by men of NCS.
According to the statement, “I received with great shock the killing of five of our youths in Iseyin by the men of the Nigeria Customs & Excise on Eid el Fitri day over a lame excuse that they were disturbed/prevented from carrying out a seizure of some purported smuggled items. This is a very unwholesome development that must be criticized by every right thinking Nigerian. It should be noted that such killings have become one too many with the Customs of late”.
“A situation where prohibited items are ferried into Nigeria with the knowledge and connivance of some of these Customs men, only for another group within the same organization to go and cart away these same goods from the shops/warehouses of traders is repulsive and should be discarded”.
“While not arguing in favour of smuggling (it’s actually an act of economic sabotage and condemnable), I implore the Customs to look into better ways of preventing and confiscating such smuggled goods before they get to the market, to prevent future occurrences of such wanton killing of Nigerian youths”.
“I, therefore, call on Mr. President to direct the Comptroller-General to look seriously into modifying this operational style and adopt a more people-friendly, but equally effective strategy to combat smuggling”.
“On the part of the mourning youths of Iseyin, I sympathize with you and pray for the repose of the souls of the dead, while praying that Almighty Allah grant their families and loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss”.
“Meanwhile, I enjoin the youths to refrain from actions that may breach the existing peace in Iseyin, in particular, and the entire Oke Ogun region in general; while also assuring them that the government will not be insensitive to their plight (of course, with this almost becoming a recurring issue)”.
“I will also want to sympathize with our monarch, the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdulganeey Adekunle Salawu, on the loss of these young men, who were part of the future of the town until they were cut down in their prime”.
“I equally sympathise with Kabiyesi on the unfortunate attack on his palace. I implore Baba to forgive the youthful exuberance”, Oshine ended.
