Some residents of Kebbi have broken into private and government-owned warehouses in Brinin-Kebbi, the state capital, and looting hundreds of items stored in the facilities.
The incident reportedly occurred on the evening of Saturday, 30, 2024.
This comes amid widespread hunger and hardship in the country occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy and fall of the naira.
The looters were said to have targeted a government storage facility located in the Bayan Kara area, successfully overpowering the security forces on guard to make away with essential food items.
The spree of theft extended beyond government stockpiles, as private warehouses and retail stores in the vicinity also fell victim to the raid.
A truck filled with a variety of grains, which had broken down and was intended for distribution within Birnin Kebbi, was likewise plundered.
The current wave of looting in Kebbi State follows similar incidents in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Suleja in Niger State, highlighting a growing trend of desperation amid difficult economic times attributed to the removal of petrol subsidies and the naira’s flotation.
“They forced their way in and looted the government warehouse and some of our shops,” said Muhammadu Gwadangwaji, chairman of the Bayan Kara Market food vendors association.
He added that several shops and warehouses were set ablaze by the looters.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, Ahmed Idris, described the incident as unfortunate.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
