Kwara State Govt condemns looting of warehouse, says the COVID-19 palliatives were meant for the poor and vulnerable groups

The Kwara State Government has condemned the looting of a warehouse housing COVID-19 pallatives located around the Ilorin International Airport.

Hundreds of residents on Friday October 23, broke into the warehouse and carted away food items like noodles, spaghetti, rice, sugar, among others. Video footages and photos shows some people using motorcycles, trucks and buses to transport looted items from the warehouse.

The government, in a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Communications, Harriet Afolabi-Oshatimehin, described the incident as unfortunate and condemnable, saying that the remaining palliatives in the warehouse were meant for vulnerable groups and one local government as others have already got their own shares.

“The attack by some hoodlums on the cargo terminal in Ilorin to prey on palliatives meant for the poor is condemnable, inexplicable, and does not reflect the good nature of the people of the state,”

The Commissioner said the 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,” the statement added.

“It would be recalled that the CACOVID and the state government had since September 23rd 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.

“The actions of the hoodlums are condemnable and those already arrested would face the full weight of the law. The government would not tolerate anyone hiding under any guise to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the state. The government commends the security agencies for acting with restraint in the face of provocation by the hoodlums.”