The looting of the COVID-19 palliatives stored in warehouses across the country began like a scene from a Nollywood movie.
It followed the alleged shooting of unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll gate, in Lagos and quickly spread to the North and Southern parts of the country. In its wake, public and private warehouses, and the residences of some public officials became primary targets.
Besides foodstuffs like rice, beans, garri, noodles, salt and sugar, vital medical and agricultural supplies, vehicle parts, motorcycles and household appliances of different makes were also looted.
But for decisive actions against the looters by the governments of some affected states, indications are that the hoodlums were planning to go beyond public warehouses to enter markets, shops and personal business premises. ThisNigeria correspondents bring you reports across the nation…
Adamawa
In Yola, the Adamawa State capital, the hoodlums looted six public warehouses on a Sunday morning. Initially, security agents were able to prevent the looting at the warehouse on the Yola-Gombe Road but not so for the State Central store along Mohammed Mustafa Road which harboured foodstuffs and non- consumables were completely looted. Said to be in large uncontrollable numbers the hoodlums were heard, chanting: “This is our national cake, these people are wicked”, with the combined team of military and police personnel dazed.
Ondo
The hoodlums who broke into the government warehouses in Akure, the Ondo state capital, and looted COVID-19 palliatives, were more vicious than those in Adamawa. They took away bags of rice, sugar, Indomie noddles and other food items. Thereafter they burnt down the warehouse located within the Chief Magistrate court premises in Akure.
Oyo
In Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, the looting was of a private warehouse where more than 1,000 bags of rice being COVID-19 palliatives were stolen. The hoodlums also went for the home of the Senator representing Oyo central, Teslim Folarin. The lawmaker who was away when they struck had the brand new motorcycles, freezers, grinding machines and other items, meant for his constituents valued at N250million stolen. In reaction, one resident said, “It was daylight robbery. It is sad this is happening.”
Lagos
Still grappling with the scores of police facilities that were set ablaze with the controversial shooting incident at Lekki tollgate under investigation, Lagos state also had its share of the looting spree. A warehouse where branded COVID-19 palliatives were stored at Mazamaza community in Oriade Local Council Development Area of Lagos State was the target. It was learnt that after it was looted, the hoodlums asked residents to help themselves and went on to set it on fire.
Delta
Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, at Asaba was quick in directing security operatives to treat anyone that comes near the state-owned COVID-19 palliatives warehouse, under any guise as a criminal. As a result, an attempt by hoodlums who came with fuel to loot and burn down the facility was foiled early saving the state from huge losses. The governor who explained that the palliatives were those donated by the Coalition Against COVID to the state said all has since been distributed to vulnerable residents of the state.
Plateau
In all the hoodlums looted and vandalized PRUWAS- SA, PADP (Dogon Dutse Jos), Mineral Museum (Angul D, Bukuru), ASTC Vom, Plateau Publishing Company, SUBEB (Dogon Dutse), Government Technical College Bukuru, Ryom Local Government Secretariat, School of Home Economics Vom, and Jos foods. Others are Jos Trade Fair (Polo), Private Residence of former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, as well as Grand Cereals Bukuru, and the State and Federal Secretariats. All this was on defiance of a 24-hour curfew by the State government.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government began warning of serious danger in consuming grains, food items and drugs after they were looted from various warehouses in the state. The hoodlums had looted the warehouse in the Narayi area of Chikun Local Government Area, and the NAFDAC warehouse where they carted away expired prohibited and dangerous drugs. They also attacked a food processing company in Kakuri, whose stolen grains had been treated with chemical preservatives, rendering them unsafe for human consumption.
Katsina
Security operatives were on high alert as they took over strategic roads leading to the Katsina State Warehouses to forestall any looting of COVID palliatives. The government later announced that it had shared the palliatives meant for the masses a few months ago.
Kogi
The warehouse invasion went sour in Lokoja, as three residents allegedly died during a stampede to enter the Kogi State warehouse in Lokoja to cart away COVID-19 palliatives. Women and youths invaded the warehouse, located along Murtala Mohammed Way, while security agencies deployed in the area remained civil as they took away stored items.
Taraba
The Taraba State government’s 24hour curfew did not prevent looting of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp located in Siberi Village in Ardo-Kola Local Government Council, and the warehouses in Jalingo metropolis and its environs. The action, which commenced on government warehouses, was extended to private warehouses.
Osun
The Osun State Health Insurance Scheme disclosed that properties like electronics, ICT equipment, office furniture and medicines, worth about N120 Million were carted away by hoodlums during the looting. While some hoodlums broke into a national silo located at the Osun Ankara, Irojo area of Ilesha, Osun State, and carted away food items, others stormed warehouses on the premises of Cocoa Processing Industry, Ede, and looted assorted grains.
Kwara
In the Kwara state capital, Ilorin, some hoodlums supported by residents attacked the COVID-19 food palliatives warehouse located at the cargo terminal of the airport to cart away food items like rice, noodles, beverages, salt, and sugar, among others.
Cross River
The government-owned warehouse on Bishop Moynagh Avenue, off Murtala Muhammed Highway in Calabar was also attacked by hoodlums who carted away bags of rice, garri, noodles and vegetable oil. They also invaded the State Emergency Management Agency warehouse on the premises of the state newspaper, Nigerian Chronicle and set the newspaper house ablaze.
Ekiti State
Despite Ekiti State Government’s press release that there were no more COVID-19 palliatives in the state, hoodlums invaded the Federal Government’s silos, the Agric Development Programme warehouse and the State Emergency Management Agency store in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. From here they carted away some items which they mistook for CACOVID palliatives but are not meant for consumption. Officials say the items included Single Super Phosphate fertilizer and NPK which they have erroneously identified as Garri. This was at a time the government said it had distributed all palliatives to members of the public during the lockdown period.
Niger
In Madalla town, Niger state, hoodlums in their hundreds also besieged a private warehouse. A former flour mill facility, it was converted to a warehouse for the storage of assorted goods. These were the goods the hoodlums laid hold of and carted away.
Edo
The Edo state government said it lost a large consignment of Strategic Medical assets in addition to the Covid-19 palliatives of rice, beans, garri, salt, sugar and noodles to the hoodlums’ attack on its warehouse. Traditionally used to store medical supplies for the State hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, it said the looted warehouse had leftovers of the palliatives as most of it had been distributed. Governor Godwin Obaseki in the company of the Federal Health Minister Dr Osagie Ehanire, on an inspection of the vandalized warehouse, confirmed that it was for storage of medical and hospital supplies that feed the hospital network system in the state. Some hoodlums were however apprehended by vigilant residents while they were planning an attack on the home of the state deputy governor in a desperate search for non-existent Covid-19 palliatives in Edo North.
Abuja
The Federal Capital City of Abuja had over four warehouses were looted by hoodlums within a space of 48 hours. The COVID-19 palliatives warehouse in Gwagwalada was the first port of call as the hoodlums carted away rice, semovita, macaroni, spaghetti, sugar, salt, and fertilizers.
In Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) the hoodlums carted away bags of corn, LPG gas cylinders, bags of rice, gallons of vegetable oil, vehicle batteries, millet, roofing zinc, cement, among other valuables worth millions of naira. The mob defied police teargas and emptied the storerooms of mostly expired stuff while two ladies collapsed from exhaustion while struggling to enter a warehouse.
Next was the orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps in Kubwa, a satellite town of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where they damaged the property at the camp and made away with mattresses, motorcycles, foodstuffs, and home and office equipment, among others. The FCT warehouses at Idu Industrial Layout was not left out as loads of items including motorcycles, bags of rice, cereals and textiles carted away. Tungan Maje near Gwagwalada also had its warehouse of palliatives looted.
An official of the Gwagwalada area council said the warehouse had lots of palliatives some of which were only distributed on two previous occasions – Ramadan and Sallah. He added that a third distribution was planned for Sunday of the looting. As the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello asked security operatives to arrest anyone who breaks into and loots any property in the city, looters were said to be selling stolen wares to eager buyers at the scene of their crimes.
What is CACOVID?
The Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 or CACOVID raised over N15.325 billion deployed to procure the looted-Covid-19 palliatives. The monies came in April 2020 from Nigerian businessmen to support the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, after Chinese billionaire and co-founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, announced his intention to support Africa’s fight against Covid-19. CACOVID is the umbrella body thus set up to manage the donations to support efforts in combating the contagious virus.
Among the donors were Aliko Dangote of Dangote group, the richest man in Africa who made a personal donation of N2 billion to support the cause and Femi Otedola, the Chairman of Forte Oil Plc (now Ardova Plc) who donated N1 billion. Also, Abdulsamad Rabiu, owner of the BUA conglomerate, Folorunsho Alakija, the owner of Famfa Oil and Africa’s second richest woman and Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa Plc all made donations of N1 billion each. Mr Jim Ovia who is the Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Oba Otudeko, Chairman of FBN Holdings Plc and founder of Honeywell Group along with Segun Agbaje of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Herbert Wigwe of Access Bank also donated N1 billion each.
Governors’ Response to the Looting
Meanwhile, the 36 state governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) reacted to the spate of looting of warehouses by hoodlums. They also said the recently looted palliative items across the country were kept in anticipation of a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. They said contrary to the view in certain quarters that the items were hoarded, they were only kept ahead of the second wave of the pandemic.
They regretted the loss of lives and property occasioned by the violent protests that erupted and called for calm saying, “A lot of the information circulating the social media needs to be fact-checked. The NGF pleads with members of the public to desist from spreading rumours which further creates panic and stampede.
“For example, some of the properties stolen and vandalized, include palliatives set aside for vulnerable members of society. The NGF reemphasizes and corrects the impression that palliatives found in warehouses that were broken into in Lagos and some other states were kept in storage for members of the society especially our vulnerable citizens.”
According to the governors, “The erroneous impression in the public domain that these palliatives were hoarded is not just inaccurate, entirely erroneous and untrue but also mischievous, to say the least. For the avoidance of doubt, some of the palliatives had the CACOVID stamp embossed on them, meaning that their source is unambiguous.
“As we know, CACOVID operations are mainly domiciled in Lagos, being the headquarters of most of the public-spirited organisations, corporate bodies and individuals that came together to form the Coalition Against COVID-19, CACOVID.
“Until mid-October, when the NGF had its last meeting, up to ten States had not participated in the flag-off ceremonies for the distribution of palliatives in their States. This was because the items meant for distribution in these states had not been completely received from CACOVID.”
They said, “Some other States that still had palliatives in their warehouses chose to keep a strategic reserve ahead of a projected second wave of Covid-19. Furthermore, as of a couple of weeks ago, some States were still receiving palliatives from the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.”
The NGF stated categorically that no State has been involved in or has hoarded any palliatives and assured all contributors to the palliatives that prior to the looting of these warehouses, states had kept full accounts of all the items received and distributed. It also called on members of the public to check their facts.
“While we all recognize the need for improved governance, we should be careful not to damage ourselves by pushing the wrong narrative. The State Governors are doing their very best under the circumstances to ameliorate the needs of the teeming population”.
Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) response:
The Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) also explained why the distribution of palliatives to the 2million poor and vulnerable families in the country, to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was delayed.
Acting Director of Corporate Communications of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Osita Nwanisobi, on behalf of the coalition, said it was due to the magnitude of the number of food items to be distributed.
The coalition said that the large scale of this nationwide food programme and the timing of the orders, which coincided with the lockdowns and limited movement across the country, delayed the procurement and distribution exercise.
A statement by the coalition’s spokesman partly reads, “Members of the Private Sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) wish to call for calm, amidst the looting of COVID-19 palliatives meant for distribution in various State Government warehouses across the country.
“The Coalition is deeply concerned by the recent events and is urging those involved in the wanton destruction of public and private property to immediately desist from these raids, in order to allow the States to proceed with a peaceful and fair distribution of these palliatives to the neediest and most vulnerable in our society.
“Over the past few months, the private sector, through CACOVID has been working with governors, the FCT Minister, and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) to procure, deliver, and distribute these food relief items to almost 2 million most vulnerable families (over 10 million Nigerians) across the 774 local government areas of the country, as part of the private sector’s support towards the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The sheer scale of this nationwide food programme and the timing of the orders and deliveries, which coincided with the lockdowns and reduced movement across the country, compelled CACOVID to roll out distribution in a staggered manner.
“The very large size of the order and the production cycle required to meet the demand caused delays in delivering the food items to the states in an expeditious manner; hence, the resultant delay in delivery of the food palliatives by the state governors.”
CACOVID warned that some intended beneficiaries for palliatives will not get the relief food items due to the looting of these items by hoodlums. It said that it worked with all Governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to share the food items to over 10 million poor Nigerians.
It, however, pointed out that not every warehouse in Nigeria that contains palliatives is affiliated with the CACOVID donation, given that the states themselves, the Federal Government, and other organizations have also made donations.
Victims Support Fund COVID-19 Emergency Task Force
The Victims Support Fund COVID-19 Emergency Task Force also responded to the looting and said that none of its palliatives was looted across the country. The group also said all palliatives handed to states under its Phases one and two were completely distributed among those targeted.
FCT Ministers Comments
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Muhammad Musa Bello has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of looters of the palliatives stocked in the warehouse in Gwagwalada, a suburb of Abuja. The minister, who asked those who looted the food items to return them immediately, disclosed that there would be massive deployments of security agencies to safeguard factories and warehouses at Idu industrial area. The FCT Minister of State Dr Ramatu Aliyu also condemned the looting, saying no nation could survive without a food reserve which was looted across the country. She called on the area council chairmen and the royal fathers to reach out to opinion moulders and unite the people against looters.
Health Minister
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire appealed to those in Edo, who find themselves in the custody of what they can’t eat to return them to be used or destroyed professionally as some of these medications can be very harmful to the body. On the looting of the Zonal/ State Offices of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Kaduna, he said it was “devastating and worse than can be imagined”. A statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press, Olujimi Oyetomi, said Ehanire accompanied by the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Moji Adeyeye along with some officials of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and of Federal Ministry of Health went on the assessment visit to inspect the looted and vandalised NAFDAC facility.
Ehanire who said that nothing was left behind, including, ‘furniture, fixtures, and fittings” added that it will take several years and a lot of resources to get the place back to normal. “We want to find ways to recalibrate and re-establish the place. One of the issues of concern was that some of the looted drugs are expired, some are fake, while some are supposed to have been destroyed. There are some that are supposed to be prohibited, and the entry of these into circulation is a source of concern” and that those who carted them away “might be ignorant of the effects it could have on their own health and the general health of Nigerians.”
Ehanire, however, disclosed that the option left for the authorities may be to engage the police to look out for such items with the aim of retrieving them “when they surface in the market, pharmacies, including the furniture that was looted to see what can be done to apprehend the perpetrators”. The minister affirmed that the Kaduna NAFDAC facility “was vandalised by people who don’t know any better, who should not have taken what they have taken. Things, which are quite dangerous and poisonous to them and they have caused a lot more damage than what you can call a protest by carrying away windows, chairs, and loot air conditioners and damage what you can’t take.
Anti-kidnapping, Human Trafficking, Child Abuse and Drug Abuse Initiatives
Anti-kidnapping, Human Trafficking, Child Abuse and Drug Abuse Initiatives (AK-TRACADAH), a non-governmental organisation, also lent their voice to demand an end to the orgy of violence, looting and destruction of properties, including warehouses harbouring medicine. AK-TRACADAH also condemned the acts of vandalism, looting and arson in warehouses containing stockpiles of medicines and goods in major cities across the country by hoodlums.
National President of AK-TRACADAH, Primate Belonwu Ezeanyaeche reportedly said that of particular concern was the looting and carting away of contaminated food, drugs that are dangerous to health at the NAFDAC warehouse. Ezeanyaeche also expressed concern that several warehouses where COVID-19 palliatives were stored were attacked and looted across the states of the federation.
While condemning the burning of police stations and other properties in states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Primate Ezeanyaeche commended the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu for ordering the immediate deployment of operational Police personnel to secure assets and to bring an end to the wanton violence, killing, looting and destruction of public and private space from criminal elements masquerading as protesters in some parts of the country. He further expressed concerns that these actions can dent and diminish the genuine agitations for justice that triggered the #ENDSARS protest nation-wide adding that destruction of national and private infrastructure does not help in improving lives or growing our economy in any way.
Primate Ezeanyaeche appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to give marching orders to the appropriate authorities to accelerate the implementation of demands collated from the legitimate protesters
NAFDAC
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) warned residents of Kaduna on the health risk of drugs looted from its warehouse in the state.
Plateau orders prosecution
In a related development, the Government of Plateau state has designated 7 courts for the prosecution of 307 persons arrested on suspicion of looting public and private properties in the state. In addition, security agencies have been mandated to embark on a massive manhunt for the arrest of looters and ensure materials were recovered while the culprits are prosecuted.
Osun State government
The government at Osogbo has appealed to all residents of the state and all landlords who see electronic equipment, computers, printers, furniture, generators, refrigerators and drugs being brought to their houses to notify the law enforcement agents promptly.
