Residents loot Bayelsa warehouse, cart away ‘unhealthy foods’

Residents of Bayelsa on Sunday stormed and looted a private warehouse in the state.

At about 7:30 p.m., the people invaded the warehouse located in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa, where they carted away food items stored in the facility.

The state government deployed men from its security outfit called Doo Akpo to disperse the residents and secure the building.

In a statement after the incident, Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency (BYSEMA), said the items that were stolen included rice and garri that were no longer fit for consumption.

Walamam Igrubia, the director-general of BYSEMA, said the looted food items were part of the relief materials donated by some concerned Nigerians after the 2022 flood disaster in the state.

“During the 2022 flood in the state, the agency used the warehouse to store food items,” the statement reads.

“As part of preparations for an impending flood this year, the DG visited the premises, and in his presence, remnants of food items, notably rice and garri that were no longer fit for consumption, were cleared from the warehouse and placed outside for disposal the next day.

“The remnants, which were swept from the floor and packed in disused bags, were less than 10 bags of rice and garri and with some broken cans of oil. Importantly, these items are unfit for human consumption and a responsible, caring government like ours will not give Bayelsans such items as palliatives.

“In essence, there were really no food items to loot. So, those who carted away the unfit items are please advised in their own interest not to consume them.”

The agency assured residents that the state government would ensure the distribution of palliatives provided by the federal government as part of efforts to cushion the effects of the removal of the petrol subsidy.

On July 30, some residents of Adamawa had also broken into warehouses belonging to the state government and other private-owned food stores, stealing edible and non-edible items.

The looters reportedly cited hardship following the removal of the petrol subsidy as the reason for carting away maize, rice, beans, corn, generators, wrappers, mattresses, and plastic buckets.

As a result of the incident, the Adamawa police command said it had arrested over 100 persons allegedly involved.