A government warehouse at Bayan Kara area of Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, was on Saturday night attacked by residents of Kebbi State. They carted away food items.
Private shops, warehouses and a broken-down truck loaded with assorted grains meant for distribution in Birnin Kebbi weren’t spared either as they defied the security officials stationed at the business area.
This is amidst the high cost of living crisis largely believed to have been caused by the unfavourable economic situation of the country over the past one year.
Confirming the incident, 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.
“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,” he said.
Corroborating the stance of the Chairman, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris,, Ahmed Idris, described the incident as “unfortunate”.
He stated: “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 ₦5 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 bemoaned.
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