A private warehouse in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, which was used by the state government to store relief materials, was invaded by residents of the state capital.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday saw food items and other materials being carted away by the residents, prompting the state government to deploy its security outfit to disperse the looters and secure the premises.
The items looted from the warehouse included bags of rice, garri, cartons of noodles, and bottled water.
These items were reportedly part of relief materials donated by concerned Nigerians during the 2022 flood disaster in the state.
However, many of these foodstuffs were already unfit for human consumption, having gone bad over time.
BYSEMA’s Statement
The Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency (BYSEMA) issued a statement on Monday, expressing surprise and concern over the invasion.
READ ALSO: Atiku Questions Bola Tinubu’s Educational Claims
According to the statement, the Director-General of BYSEMA, Walamam Igrubia, and agency personnel had already cleared remnants of food items, including rice and garri, that were deemed unsuitable for consumption from the warehouse premises.
These remnants were set aside for disposal the following day.
The statement stressed that the looted items were not fresh food palliatives and were not hoarded by the state government or the agency.
Addressing concerns about the incident, the BYSEMA statement read, “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 BYSEMA also condemned the actions of the unidentified individuals who invaded the warehouse premises.
It criticized attempts by opposition elements within the state to politicize the incident for cheap political gains.
The agency reiterated its readiness to handle the distribution of genuine palliatives provided by the Federal Government as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of the fuel subsidy removal policy and potential flooding this year.
