Tension In Osogbo As Food Scheme Operators Disappear After Collecting Millions

Tension gripped Osogbo, Osun State, on Monday after operators of a cheap food initiative, Global Food Initiative, reportedly disappeared, leaving residents who had paid various sums for food items in distress, Naija News reports.

According to The Punch, many of the customers gathered at the organization’s office in the Odi-Olowo area of the city, hoping that the operators would return and allow them to collect the food items they had already paid for.

Some of the affected residents said they deposited millions of naira into designated accounts after being attracted by the scheme’s cheaper prices.

A resident identified as Mistura said she deposited ₦300,000 into the scheme last Wednesday to buy 11 bags of rice at ₦27,000 per bag.

She said customers were usually expected to collect their items one week after making payment.

According to her, the same 11 bags of rice would currently cost about ₦605,000 at the market price of ₦55,000 per bag.

Another investor, Olamide, said she paid ₦1.2m for different food items she planned to use for the wedding ceremony of her stepdaughter.

She said the payment was made last Monday through a designated account bearing the name Global Food Initiative and domiciled in an online microfinance bank.

“I got here this morning and met a crowd waiting to be attended to. But the operators were nowhere to be found. I was warned, but I never thought they would run away this early. The items I paid for were to be used for the wedding ceremony of my stepdaughter.

“Before I paid the last sum of ₦1.2m into the scheme last Monday, I had earlier collected two gallons of five litres of groundnut oil from the operators. I paid ₦30,000 for each. But it costs far more in the market. I am in a serious mess here,” she said.

Another investor, who spoke anonymously, said the operators started the initiative more than three weeks ago.

She said customers were told that the scheme would operate for six months.

According to her, panic spread among residents on Sunday after a presenter on a private radio station in Osogbo reportedly warned people against the scheme.

She claimed the operators came to their office on Monday but fled after seeing the large and agitated crowd that had gathered to collect their food items.

“The operators actually reported here (their office) on Monday, but when they saw the agitated crowd, they ran away. A radio presenter on a private radio station in Osogbo on Sunday caused panic when he warned the residents against the scheme.

“The agitated crowd that stormed this place early today (Monday) forced the operators to run away. A woman deposited ₦35m for various food items, another man showed us a receipt of ₦10m.

“Some hoodlums had attempted to break into the storeroom of the operators, but police personnel were deployed to stop them. We are still waiting for the operators to come back and resume operations,” she said.

The Osun State command of the Nigeria Police Force confirmed that its operatives had been deployed to the area to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said no formal complaint had yet been received from the affected residents.

“There has not been any report by those affected, but to avoid a breakdown of law and order, police officers have moved to the scene.

“It was there that we began to identify that a company identified as Global Food Initiative has been collecting people’s money, promising to subsidise food items while they pay in advance.

“We are still waiting for somebody to come and give us detailed information about the issue. We are monitoring the situation,” Ojelabi said.