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Abuja, Nigeria – Nigerian security forces are struggling to contain mounting cases of looting at government-run warehouses across the country, in the latest incident of unrest following widespread youth-led protests against police brutality.
The storage facilities contain tons of relief materials, including food destined for distribution during lockdowns that were previously applied to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
While the distribution program had been temporarily halted in several states across the country in recent months, it emerged this week that relief items were still stored in some of these facilities, as well as in the private homes of politicians.
The news infuriated many in the country with the highest number of people living in extreme poverty in the world.
“The food belongs to Nigerians. Why are they hiding them? This is evil. How is food hidden from hungry people? “asked Ibironke Babalola, a resident of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital.
“There are many families who are struggling to get just one meal a day, yet we have food in warehouses that some politicians kept,” the 41-year-old told Al Jazeera.
Tens of thousands of peaceful protesters have taken to the streets of Nigeria this month to demand an end to police violence and other radical reforms.
Amid mounting tensions, criminals this week vandalized public buildings and damaged property, while others took advantage of the unrest to attack warehouses containing food and other supplies.
On Saturday, police officers in the capital Abuja fired sporadically into the air and used tear gas to disperse residents who had approached a warehouse.
It was a different scenario in the southern city of Calabar, where security forces were unable to stop the looting of the homes of local politicians, where some of the COVID-19 relief materials were kept.
In Ilorin, in the central state of Kwara, security officials have struggled to contain attacks on a government facility in recent days. The state governor has declared a 24-hour curfew to prevent a further escalation of violence.
Authorities in Adamawa state, in the northeast of the country, also imposed a 24-hour curfew on Sunday after looters attacked a large food warehouse.
Nigeria, home to more than 200 million people, is the most populous country in Africa and the continent’s leading oil exporter.
But according to the National Bureau of Statistics, nearly 83 million people, or 40 percent of the population, live below its poverty line of 137,430 naira ($ 381.75) a year, and millions depend on daily income. to survive.
Some states that had previously suspended delivery of coronavirus relief materials had pledged to resume food distribution to poor residents, but some were unconvinced.
“Big lie,” said Effiong Zachariah, a resident of Abuja.
“Some of the food that people found in the warehouses had gone bad,” the 35-year-old told Al Jazeera. “It shows you how evil our people are. How much would it cost to share this rice and other items among the poor? People are hungry and need to eat, ”he added.
“The government must ensure that stores that still have food are opened and distributed to avoid further clashes between security forces and poor Nigerians looking for food.”
Government officials have issued statements urging looters to stay away from warehouses and called on police to arrest and prosecute those who break the law.
On Saturday, Muhammed Adamu, Inspector General of Police, said he had ordered the “immediate mobilization” of all police resources “to end rampant violence, killings, looting and destruction of public and private property, and recover public space “. of criminal elements disguised as protesters in some parts of the country ”.
Meanwhile, some government agencies warned looters against consuming some of the stolen items.
“Some people even get rid of previously preserved fermented corns to plant. All of these items are poisonous and unfit for consumption, ”Akin Omole, Ekiti State Commissioner for Civic Information and Orientation, said in a statement.
“Therefore, we call on our people not to consume these items because they can kill,” said Omole.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Responsibility Project (SERAP), a civil rights organization, expressed disappointment at the non-distribution of food to poor Nigerians and called for an urgent investigation.
“Unless promptly investigated, allegations of hoarding and diversion would undermine public confidence in any effort to control the spread of the pandemic, exacerbate the negative impact of the crisis, and deny those most in need access to basic needs. of the life”. SERAP stated.
According to SERAP, “the alleged hoarding of COVID-19 palliative in several states and the apparent lack of timely, effective, efficient and transparent distribution of palliative to the poorest and most vulnerable people have continued to deny many citizens much needed support. “
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