On Sunday, some citizens broke into a private warehouse in the Kpansia neighborhood of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, where the state government kept food and other supplies. They took food and other commodities.
The supplies included bags of rice and garri, cartons of noodles, and bottles of water that were reportedly part of the relief supplies that concerned Nigerians gave during the state’s disaster in 2022.
According to the report, the event happened at about 7.30 p.m. when locals swarmed the warehouse near the Isaac Boro Expressway with pick-up vans and private cars to remove the products, the majority of which were already spoiled.
The state administration sent out troops while the looting was still going on.
The food items were remnants being gathered for disposal as they were no longer fit for human consumption, according to the state government, which described the occurrence as inappropriate and voiced surprise and alarm over the invasion of the privately held warehouse’s premises.
The food items were remnants being gathered for disposal as they were no longer fit for human consumption, according to the state government, which described the occurrence as inappropriate and voiced surprise and alarm over the invasion of the privately held warehouse’s premises.
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“The DG visited the location as part of preparations for an upcoming flood this year, and in his presence, leftover food products, particularly rice, and garri that were no longer safe to eat, were removed from the warehouse and deposited outside for disposal the following day.
Less than ten bags of rice and garri, along with a few broken oil cans, were among the leftovers that were picked up from the floor and placed inside old bags. BYSEMA emphasizes that neither the organization nor the state government stockpiled these supplies, nor were they fresh food palliatives.
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“Importantly, these items are unfit for human consumption and a responsible, caring government like ours will not give Bayelsans such items as palliatives. In essence, there were no food items to loot. So, those who carted away the unfit items are please advised in their interest not to consume them.”
Source: Punch