Bayelsa Residents Raid Warehouse, Seize Food Items Amidst Economic Hardships
In an astonishing development, Bayelsa state experienced an unsettling event as its residents stormed a warehouse situated in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa.
This facility, intended to store essential food supplies and resources on behalf of the Bayelsa State government, fell prey to a group of local resident. These individuals abscond with foodstuffs and various commodities.
The stolen items included sacks of rice, garri, cartons of instant noodles, and bottled water. This cache of provisions reportedly constituted relief goods donated by well-meaning Nigerians during the state’s 2022 flood calamity.
Responding to the incident, the Bayelsa state government dispatched personnel from its security contingent, known as Doo Akpo, to thwart the looting and safeguard the warehouse. Expressing astonishment and disappointment, the government found the intrusion into the privately-owned warehouse highly unexpected.
Authorities characterized the event as unjustified, clarifying that the food items were residual and intended for disposal, given their unsuitability for human consumption.
In a statement issued by the State Emergency Management Agency (BYSEMA) on Monday outlined the chronological events. According to the statement, the raid took place around 7:45 pm on Sunday, after the Director-General of BYSEMA, Walamam Igrubia, and other agency members had already vacated the premises.
The statement clarified, “During the 2022 flood crisis in the state, the Agency utilized the warehouse to stockpile food supplies. As part of the preparations for this year’s impending flood season, the DG inspected the location and, in his presence, remnants of food items, specifically rice and garri deemed unfit for consumption, were cleared from the warehouse and placed outside for disposal the following day.”
BYSEMA emphasized that these remnants, totaling less than 10 bags of rice and garri, alongside a few damaged oil containers, were unquestionably not fresh food relief items. The agency firmly affirmed that the items were neither concealed nor intended for distribution as relief aid.
The statement implored those responsible for removing the unsuitable items to abstain from consuming them in their own interest.
Furthermore, the agency disapproved of the actions of the unidentified culprits who forcibly entered the warehouse premises. It censured the endeavors of opposition factions to politicize the event and exploit the unfortunate incident for political gain.
Amid the ensuing controversy, BYSEMA reassured Bayelsa’s inhabitants of its readiness to orchestrate the allocation of palliative resources extended by the Federal Government.
These endeavors form part of a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the repercussions stemming from the removal of fuel subsidies and the looming specter of flooding within the state.