The traditional ruler of Iwoye-Ketu in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Isaac Oyero, has condemned the recent attack on operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service in the community, calling for a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
The monarch also raised the alarm over what he described as inadequate security presence in the border town, warning that the situation had left the area exposed to criminal activities.
Two Customs officers attached to the Ogun I Area Command were injured during an attack at Akokoro village, one of the settlements under Iwoye-Ketu.
In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Abel Babatunde, and made available to journalists on Sunday, Oba Oyero said the incident underscored long-standing security challenges facing the community.
He said Iwoye-Ketu and its environs had for years been plagued by criminal elements, including armed herders, kidnappers and robbers, who exploit the porous border and vast ungoverned spaces in the area.
According to the monarch, the entire community, with a population of over 25,000 based on the 2006 census, is currently served by only three poorly equipped police officers, despite having a newly constructed police station that remains largely unused due to logistical constraints.
He added that many farmlands, forest reserves and border routes in the area are poorly policed, making them attractive hideouts and transit corridors for criminals operating across national boundaries.
Oba Oyero described the attack on Customs operatives as barbaric and unacceptable, stressing that it did not reflect the character of the community.
He dismissed claims that a truck allegedly conveying illicit drugs passed through Iwoye-Ketu, describing such allegations as alien to the town’s history.
The monarch noted that while cross-border trading activities such as the movement of rice and fuel were common in many border communities, large-scale criminal operations were not part of Iwoye-Ketu’s traditions.
He further observed that security in parts of the area was largely sustained by the presence of security operatives from the Republic of Benin, rather than Nigerian agencies, lamenting that the nearest Nigerian security post was about 20 kilometres away in Imeko.
The royal father appealed to the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to urgently establish a fully equipped and operational security base in Iwoye-Ketu to protect residents and strengthen border security.
He reaffirmed the community’s support for the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, pledging continued cooperation to combat crime and maintain peace in the area.