Four Killed as Mob Set Customs Vehicles Ablaze in Sokoto

Four persons were killed and six others injured in an accident that involved three commercial vehicles along Sokoto-Illela road.

The fatal accident occurred on Sunday morning at a checkpoint mounted by personnel of the Nigerian Customs Service, at Asara, along with Illela border command in Sokoto state.

Angered by the loss of lives, the mob subsequently set ablaze two vehicles belonging to officials of the Nigerian Customs Service, who were allegedly fingered to have caused the accident.

An eyewitness, who narrated the incident to our correspondent, said the affected vehicles- two Toyota Avenses and a Golf Salon – collided while trying to evade a stop and search of the Customs officials at the checkpoint.

The source said, “One of the drivers suspected to be carrying rice and vegetable oil from Illela end of the border, in an attempt to evade arrest, eventually ran into a customs checkpoint located at Asara village.

“They (customs) obstructed the driver in a bid to stop the vehicle for a search and that caused the driver to lose control. The car ran into an oncoming vehicle and had a head-on collision while the other car coming from behind, crashed into the two.

“Four persons were confirmed dead on the spot in two of the vehicles while no fewer than six people sustained various injuries during the accident.