FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, who summoned an emergency security meeting ordered prompt arrest of the looters.
Three women
were feared to have died after being trampled upon during an orgy of looting of
a massive COVID-19 palliative warehouse in Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, Abuja.
The giant
warehouse was said to have been discovered overnight by the COVID-19
palliatives hunters, after the boasts by FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu
that it could not be found.
On
discovering the store, some of the hoodlums climbed fences from adjacent
compounds near WAEC office while others fought their ways through the back of
Fidelity Bank premises.
Parts of the
roofs of the warehouse were broken to provide access into the hall.
According to
The Nation, personnel of the Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps, the
Nigeria Police and the Brigade of Guards of the Nigeria Army, who arrived the
venue early, blocking the roads with their vehicles, were overpowered.
They watched
helplessly as people made away with the COVID -19 palliatives.
The looters
were heard saying: “This is our money. These people are wicked to have hidden
these products and refused to share them.”
Items looted
were bags of rice, cartoons of Indomie noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, bags of
fertilisers, Indorama products, brand new motor bikes, grinding machines, bags
of salt, bags of Sugar, and cartoons of soaps.
By 11.23am,
some reinforcements of security operatives forced their ways into the massive
warehouse, which had COVID 19 written on it and shut it down.
They however
did not use tear gas or fire any shots, which could lead to stampede and more
deaths.
The FCT
Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has ordered the arrest and prosecution of the
people who break the FCT warehouse in Gwagwalada Area Council and looted the
food items in the store.
Bello gave
the order during an emergency security meeting with leaders of various security
agencies in the city, on Monday in Abuja.
The minister,
who asked those who looted the food items to return them immediately, ordered
massive deployments of security men to safeguard factories and warehouses in
Idu Industrial District of the city.
”What is
going on was no longer #EndSARS protest but broad day stealing by hoodlums,” he
said.
The FCT
Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu condemned the looting in strong terms. Aliyu said no nation could survive without a
food reserve which are being looted across the country.
She called on
Council chairmen and Royal fathers to reach out to opinion moulders unite the
people against looters.
Royal fathers who spoke called for decisive actions to be taken against those looting across the city. They said hoodlums are beginning to enter markets shops and personal business premises.
Present at
the meeting are the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, FCT
Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, Brigade commander, Chief of Staff to the
minister amongst others
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