We’re Awaiting Report On Looting Of Kebbi Palliatives – Police

Two days after some residents of Kebbi State attacked vehicles loaded with palliatives and a government warehouse at Bayan Kara area of Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, the state police command is still awaiting the report on the incident.

This was disclosed yesterday by the command’s spokesperson SP Nafi’u Abubakar when LEADERSHIP contacted him on the number of suspects arrested in connection with the incident.

Abubakar said the command was yet to receive a report from the divisional office of Birnin Kebbi local government area due to good Friday and Easter Monday holidays.

The incident occurred last Saturday night.

Daly Trust and Punch had reported yesterday that hoodlums, who defied security operatives stationed at the warehouse, also broke into some private warehouses and shops in the area and stole food items.

The media houses quoted the chairman of the food vendors association at Bayan Kara Market in Birnin Kebbi, Muhammadu Gwadangwaji, as saying that some shops and warehouses of traders were also set on fire by some youths.

LEADERSHIP however gathered yesterday some yet-to-be identified youths suspected to be miscreants have attacked vehicles loaded with bags of rice and other grains meant for delivery as palliatives to the people of Birnin Kebbi local government area of the state.

Sources said security operatives, who swung into action, overpowered the looters and allowed the vehicles to move to the designated area.

The palliatives were allegedly directed by Governor Nasir Idris to share in all the 21 LGAs of the state after he flagged off of the exercise recently held in Birnin Kebbi.

The vehicles attacked were those owned by the state and others linked to a major cement firm in the country.

In a reaction, the Kebbi State government condemned the vandalism and looting of the food items by the miscreants.

The government issued a statement on the incident to journalists yesterday through the spokesperson to the deputy governor, Ibrahim Adamu Argungu in Birnin Kebbi after an emergency State Executive Council meeting led by the Deputy Governor Umar Abubakar Tafidan Kabi.

The state government said measures had been put in place by the security agencies to bring the situation under control and appealed to law-abiding residents not to allow misguided elements to use the unfortunate incident for their selfish interest.