Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Despite the release on Friday evening by the Ekiti State Government clarifying that there were no COVID-19 palliatives left in the state, hoodlums thereafter invaded the Federal Government silos, the Agric Development Programme warehouse, and the store house of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
The items carted away by the hoodlums were said to be poisonous which they mistook for COVID-19 palliatives
Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Akinbowale Omole, had on Friday evening raised the alarm over alleged plan by some hoodlums to attack some warehouses in the state under the guise of looking for COVID-19 palliatives in Ekiti State, clarified that government had distributed all palliatives to vulnerable persons across the state during the lockdow period.
Confirming the loot, the state government, in a ‘Public Notice’ made available on Friday night, appealed to the people not to consume items taken from those places as they were not meant for consumption and capable of killing.
“Reports reaching us confirm that the FG’s silos, the ADP warehouse and the SEMA store, all in Ado-Ekiti, have been attacked by hoodlums under the guise of seeking CACOVID palliatives.
“Ekiti State has NO CACOVID palliative warehouse as all the palliatives have been distributed.
“The items being carted away are Single Super Phosphate fertilizer and NPK which they have erroneously identified as Garri.The SEMA store has emergency supplies for disaster response e.g flood, fire or any other emergencies.
“Some are even making away with corns preserved for planting, with chemical pre-fermentation. All these items are poisonous and not fit for consumption!
” We appeal to our people not to consume these items because they can kill. Ekiti State has NO COVID-19 palliatives warehouse, as all palliatives have been distributed to members of the public during the lockdown period.”
In addition to store houses of government looted in Ado-Ekiti metropolis, it was also gathered that branded and unbranded vehicles stocked up with items to be sold to the public, belonging to individuals and companies, that were parked within Textile premises, near Awedele market, along Bashiri road, were also burgled by hoodlums on Friday night.
Items carted away include : Cartons of noodles, packs of spaghetti, bags of snacks, packs of insecticides, bags of sanitaries, toiletries etc.
It was also learnt that the vehicles burgled on the said premises were used to make supplies of items mentioned to consumers within the metropolis.
