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Lines of residents could be seen carrying sacks of supplies destined for distribution during coronavirus closures as authorities fought to stop the looting.
People flee tear gas fired by Nigerian police officers during a massive looting of a warehouse that had COVID-19 food palliative that did not occur during the lockdown to alleviate hunger, in Abuja, Nigeria, on 26 October 2020. Image: AFP
ABUJA – Huge crowds looted food warehouses in Nigeria’s capital Abuja on Monday in the latest looting to hit the country during a wave of unrest.
Lines of residents could be seen carrying sacks of supplies destined for distribution during coronavirus closures as authorities fought to stop the looting.
“We are hungry, you understand?” A man with a pack of noodles in his hand told AFP.
“There is a lot of food in this country, but people are suffering. The government is cheating us by parking this food.”
“We are not stealing, it is our food and our right.”
The minister of the federal capital, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, told local media that several government and private warehouses were vandalized.
The looting comes after days of violent unrest in Nigeria following the shooting of unarmed protesters in the largest city of Lagos on Tuesday.
The situation has calmed down in Lagos and elsewhere, but widespread looting of government supplies has been reported across the country.
The authorities have imposed 24-hour curfews in a number of regions and the police chief has ordered the mobilization of all forces.
Fueling the anger are allegations that officials have stockpiled much-needed food that was allegedly delivered to the poor during closures earlier this year.
A coalition of state governors has denied the corruption allegations and said the supplies were being held as a “strategic reserve” in the event of a second wave of the virus.
But activists said authorities needed to be more transparent.
“It is now vital that the federal and state governments clarify why the reliefs have not been disbursed, investigate, and prosecute anyone implicated in corruption,” said Anietie Ewang of Human Rights Watch.
Peaceful protests against police brutality erupted on October 8 and quickly became one of the biggest challenges for Nigeria’s ruling elite in years.
Chaos escalated after peaceful protesters were shot dead in central Lagos on Tuesday, sparking international outrage and violent unrest.
Amnesty International said 12 protesters were killed by the army and police in that incident and that 56 people have died in total since the protests began.
The army chief of staff insisted on Monday that soldiers “have continued to exercise restraint” and blamed a “smokescreen of falsehood and deliberate misrepresentation of events orchestrated by enemies of Nigeria.”
“We will not allow any destabilizing force, element or agent inside or outside our country to set fire to our beloved country,” General Tukur Yusufu Buratai said in a statement.
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