Security
Abuja “looters” discover COVID-19 palliatives in a Gwagwalada warehouse and it is chaotic
Looters in search of COVID-19 palliatives have stormed a warehouse located in Gwagwalada in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Last week, some of the residents had stormed the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts Culture in Area 10 Abuja hoping to invade the premises but were stopped by security officials who cordon off the area.
The residents were seen looting items including rice, semovita, macaroni, spaghetti, sugar, salt, and fertilizers.
The warehouse which is located near West African Examination Council (WAEC) office, is said to contain items belonging to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The youths had earlier broke into a warehouse at Jabi district close to the code of conduct tribunal.
Not minding the presence of soldiers and policemen the looters made away with various bagged items and stationeries.
The situation is worse at another warehouse at Idu industrial area where some of the looters who were unable to lay their hands on COVID-19 palliatives vandalized the place removing windows and door frames.
NewsWireNGR also recalls that, Ramatu Aliyu, the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has assured residents of the territory that Covid-19 palliative items in various stores across the territory were safe and secured.
Security agents repelled some angry when they attempted break-in where the palliatives were kept.
But the minister noted that security agents were being deployed to man strategic areas to avert looting of the items just like in other states.
There has been a widespread of looting and arson of palliatives by angry residents across the country, prompting the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to order police commanders to immediately stop the descent to anarchy across the country.
To avert similar incident in the territory, Aliyu said that police operational assets and resources had been mobilised to bring an end to the wanton violence, killings, looting and destruction of public and private property, and reclaim the public space from “criminal elements masquerading as protesters in some parts of the country.”
In a press statement, the minister stated that the FCT Administration had in the past few months distributed all items procured and also distributed donated items to the Area Councils, Community Associations, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Professional bodies/associations.
Aliyu stressed that the administration had continued to receive donations, which were distributed on a continuous basis.
She affirmed that details of such distributions were in the public domain, reaching more than a million households and individuals across the territory.
The minister stated that the administration ensured that CSOs and the ICPC participated in the distribution exercise to ensure transparency.
She revealed that warehouses were supposed to stock supplies for emergency response, including the recurrence of COVID-19 emergency, warning that unsuspecting members of the public should therefore not be lured into criminality under the guise of ‘hoarded’ palliative food items in the territory.
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