Ismail Abdulazeez Mantu, Reporting
Kebbi State, Nigeria
Some residents in Kebbi State raided a government storage facility in Bayan Kara, Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, on Saturday and took off with a bunch of food supplies.
The residents, who disregarded the security personnel posted at the warehouse, also unlawfully entered several private warehouses and shops in the vicinity, taking food items.
According to Muhammadu Gwadangwaji, who serves as the Chairman of the food vendors association at Bayan Kara Market in Birnin Kebbi, certain shops and trader warehouses were intentionally ignited by a group of young people.
“They (security agents) fired gunshots and teargas into the air, but they (the youths) were not deterred. They forced their way in and looted the government warehouse and some of our shops,” he said.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, Ahmed Idris, expressed his concern about the incident, calling it “unfortunate”.
“The hoodlums had earlier attacked the consignment of food items that was brought to the state for distribution to the people by Dangote before going to the government warehouse to loot it.
“Such incident has never happened in Kebbi before. The food items they looted are part of the foodstuffs purchased by the state government for distribution to people of the state.
“Government has procured and distributed assorted grains worth over N5 billion in over 200 trucks. It is unfortunate those who broke into the warehouse had gone there to steal what belongs to people of the state”, he said.