Over the weekend, Kebbi State witnessed scenes of widespread looting as residents, driven by hunger, targeted both government and private-owned warehouses in the area.
The focal point of the looting frenzy was a government storage facility situated in the Bayan Kara area. Despite the presence of security forces, the determined residents managed to overpower them, seizing essential food items stored within. Emboldened by their success, the looters then turned their attention to private warehouses and retail establishments, stripping them of their food stocks.
Even a truck laden with various grains, originally destined for distribution within Birnin Kebbi, fell victim to the marauding looters.
Speaking on the incident, Muhammadu Gwadangwaji, Chairman of the Bayan Kara Market food vendors association, recounted how the looters forcibly entered the government warehouse and targeted several shops. He lamented the destruction caused, with numerous shops and warehouses set ablaze during the chaos.
In Gwadangwaji’s words: “They forced their way in and looted the government warehouse and some of our shops,”
Confirming the distressing events, Ahmed Idris, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, condemned the attacks as “unfortunate” and unprecedented in the history of Kebbi State.
He elaborated on the sequence of events, highlighting how the hoodlums first targeted food consignments brought to the state for distribution by Dangote before turning their sights to the government warehouse.
“The hoodlums had earlier attacked the consignment of food items brought to the state for distribution to the people by Dangote before targeting the government warehouse,” he explained
Idris expressed deep concern over the theft of foodstuffs, purchased by the state government for its citizens, amounting to over N5 billion and distributed across more than 200 trucks.
“It is unfortunate those who broke into the warehouse had gone there to steal what belongs to the people of the state,” he added, confirming that measures had been taken to secure the warehouses against future incidents.” He stated.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that the looted goods rightfully belonged to the people of the state.
Assuring measures to prevent future occurrences, Idris affirmed that steps had been taken to bolster the security of warehouses in order to safeguard against similar incidents in the future.
