Kebbi Residents Loot Govt, Private Warehouses

A government warehouse in the Bayan Kara area of Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, on Saturday night was attacked by some residents who carted away food items.

The hoodlums, who defied security operatives stationed at the warehouse, also broke into some private warehouses and shops in the area and stole food items.

They also looted a broken-down truck loaded with assorted grains for distribution in Birnin Kebbi.

This is amidst the cost-of-living crisis largely believed to have been caused by the removal of the petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira.

Speaking to Daily Trust, the Chairman of the food vendors association at Bayan Kara Market in Birnin Kebbi, Muhammadu Gwadangwaji, said some shops and warehouses of traders were also set on fire by some youths.

He said, “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.”

In his reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, Ahmed Idris, described the incident as “unfortunate”.

He said, “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 the government had secured its warehouses to prevent reoccurrence.