A crowd of people on Friday broke into the warehouse where palliatives donated by the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) were stored at the Cargo Shed Terminal of the Ilorin International Airport in Kwara State.
The residents forced the gates open when they invaded the storage facility in the afternoon while the security officials manning the place watched helplessly.
They succeeded in emptying the food items at the warehouse but began to run to safety following the arrival of more security personnel deployed at the scene.
In its reaction, the state government described the action of the residents as unfortunate and condemnable.
The Commissioner for Communications in Kwara, Harriet Afolabi-Oshatimehin, explained in a statement that the palliatives were meant for the poor.
She insisted that the action of the residents does not reflect the good nature of the people of the state.
According to Afolabi-Oshatimehin, CACOVID and the state government had since distributed majority of the palliatives to the identified vulnerable households in 15 of the 16 local government areas of the state.
“The remaining palliatives in the terminal, which the hoodlums preyed on until chased away by security agencies, were meant for special vulnerable groups and just one local government where names of the beneficiaries have just been delivered and officials have started distributing when the street urchins breached the wall of the facility,” she said.
The commissioner added, “It would be recalled that the CACOVID and the state government had since September 23 flagged off the distribution of the palliatives.
“But it was meant for specific households, as dictated by CACOVID, and so names had to be properly generated to allow for transparent and orderly distribution.”
She stated that some of those involved in the act have been arrested and would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Afolabi-Oshatimehin warned that the government would not tolerate anyone hiding under any guise to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the state.
She also commended the security agencies for acting with restraint in the face of provocation by the hoodlums
This was the unanimous position of former Nigerian presidents and heads of state on Friday at a virtual meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on the #EndSARS protest and various happenings resulting from the demonstration.
Those in attendance were General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), Chief Ernest Shonekan, General Abulsalami Abubakar (rtd), and Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed the details of what was discussed at the meeting in a statement.
According to him, the former leaders condoled with the bereaved families of civilians and security operatives who lost their lives to the violence recorded in parts of the country.
They stressed the importance of respecting the fundamental rights of citizens, including peaceful protest as enshrined in the Constitution.
The elder statesmen condemned the divisive and inciting pronouncements of separatists, stressing that such acts should be stopped.
They, however, commended the actions taken by state governors to address the demands of #EndSARS protesters and their efforts to check the excesses of those who perpetrated violent acts and conduct.
The former leaders also called on the youths to pursue peaceful means in seeking redress through engagement with the government.
They advised the government to engage in further conversation with the youths and other stakeholders in the country to ensure the issues raised were properly addressed.
In his remarks, President Buhari noted the genuine and well-intended #EndSARS protest of youths in parts of the country against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
But he said the protest was hijacked and misdirected and that the Federal Government would not fold its arms and allow miscreants and criminals continue to perpetrate acts of hooliganism.
The President also recounted the initial concessions made by his administration on the demands of youths condemning the excesses of some members of the SARS.
He recalled that the protesters had demanded that the squad be disbanded, and further articulated the additional demands. (Channels Tv)
