Four feared killed as miscreants attack Ilorin Customs office, businesses

• Kwara governor declares 24-hour curfew

The Kwara State Government has declared a 24-hour curfew in the state, following hoodlums’ attacks on the Nigeria Customs Service office, and massive looting of COVID-19 palliative materials other businesses in Ilorin on Friday, which reportedly led to the death of about four people.

Customs personnel on duty had reportedly engaged the miscreants who stormed their Ilorin office in an attempt to loot truckloads of rice impounded from smugglers.

Some other miscreants also went to the cargo section of the Ilorin airport and started looting COVID-19 palliative materials.

A source said four persons died in the encounter between the hoodlums and officers of the Customs personnel.

Another group of hoodlums attacked the Shoprite mall along Fate Road, Ilorin, where they engaged in massive looting of the shops within the mall.

No security personnel were around to stop the hoodlums that reportedly burst into some electronic shops on Taiwo Road and stole several electronic gadgets.

In a video that surfaced online, the people were seen carting away various items, some of which were carried on their heads, motorcycles and vehicles.

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, said in order to arrest the situation, a 24-hour curfew has been imposed on the people of Ilorin metropolis with effect from 12am Saturday.

The governor made the announcement in a broadcast on Midland 99.1 FM.

Abdulrazaq said, “Lives are being threatened. Businesses are being looted. Public properties have been targeted. This is unacceptable. It is not who we are.

“To curb these acts of criminalities, I hereby declare a 24-hour curfew in Ilorin metropolis from midnight today October 23rd 2020. This is in line with Sections 1, 2 and 4 of the Public Order Act Chapter 382 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.

“People are urged to stay indoors in compliance with this curfew. This will be reviewed as we watch developments.

“Our observation is that what has happened today is not a protest, it cannot be defended under any guide; it was a pure act of criminality as some people are hiding under the guise of nationwide protest.”