Metro
Abuja: Hoodlums loot government warehouse amid growing hardship
In an act of desperation fueled by mounting economic challenges, hoodlums looted a warehouse on Sunday morning, mistakenly believed to be owned by the National Emergency Agency (NEMA).
The facility, however, belongs to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Department of Agriculture, as clarified by an anonymous source.
The aggrieved residents seized the opportunity to alleviate their hardships, plundering the warehouse of essential foodstuffs and other stored items. This incident sheds light on the prevailing economic turmoil faced by Nigerians, exacerbated by government policies such as the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of the forex rate.
Across various states, citizens have taken to the streets to voice their discontent over the soaring prices of commodities.
On February 7, Suleja residents in Niger State staged a protest against the exorbitant cost of living, echoing similar sentiments expressed just two days earlier in the state capital, Minna.
The protesters wielded placards with messages like “Leadership is about improving the lives of the masses” and “Nigerians are suffering, end the hardship now.”
A parallel demonstration unfolded days later in Ibadan, Oyo State, where youths in Mokola passionately voiced their concerns with placards reading ‘End food hike and inflation,’ ‘The poor are starving,’ and ‘Tinubu, don’t forget your promises,’ among others.
The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has acknowledged the hardship faced by the Nigerian masses and introduced several palliative measures to address the situation.
In response to the crisis, President Tinubu ordered the National Security Adviser, (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, to collaborate with governors and go after those hoarding foodstuffs.
The President ruled out the importation of food items, stating, “What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food.”.
He emphasised the need for self-sufficiency, stating, “We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense. We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.”
“We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others,” the President added.
Despite the release of grains to ease the rising cost of food items, many Nigerians continue to express their displeasure over the economic hardship in the country.
A tragic incident occurred on Saturday morning in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos State, as a building housing a popular local restaurant on Oremeta Street collapsed, leaving many feared dead.
The building was said to have given way at about 8:00 am, causing panic among residents and passers-by. Eyewitnesses reported a loud rumble before the structure came crashing down, trapping several individuals inside.
Emergency responders, including residents and rescue officials, have since commenced search and rescue operations at the site. As of the time of filing this report, the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed, but several persons are believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the cause of the collapse or the number of victims. However, efforts are ongoing to clear the debris and reach those who may still be alive underneath.
More details to follow.
Grief hung heavily in the air as the Zike community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State laid to rest 51 of its residents brutally murdered in a pre-dawn attack that has once again cast a dark shadow over the troubled region.
The victims, mostly women and children, were gunned down in the early hours of Monday when yet-to-be-identified assailants stormed the sleepy village, firing indiscriminately. The massacre is the latest in a string of violent assaults that have plagued Plateau State in recent times.
At the mass burial held in the community, emotions ran high as families, friends, and sympathizers wept uncontrollably. Traditional mourners draped in black wailed as the victims’ coffins were lowered into the earth — a harrowing scene that has become all too familiar in the region.
Speaking at the funeral, a visibly distraught community leader, Davidson Malison, described the attack as “disheartening” and lamented the scale of the devastation.
“I can tell you the situation is very disheartening,” Malison said. “We are still searching for more corpses. Something needs to be done to put an end to this.”
The Irigwe women leader, Mary Dikwa, echoed similar concerns, calling on the government to step up its responsibility in securing lives and property.
“They have been killing us in this our community,” Dikwa said in tears. “Several times they will come and attack us. This situation has gone out of hand.”
Monday’s carnage came barely two weeks after another deadly assault left over 50 people dead and several others severely injured, despite repeated reassurances by the government to restore peace to the North-Central state.
Reacting to the renewed wave of violence, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered security agencies to track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“I have instructed security agencies to thoroughly investigate this crisis and identify those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts,” the President said in a statement released by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga. “We cannot allow this devastation and the tit-for-tat attacks to continue. Enough is enough.”
As the Zike community mourns yet another loss, residents are left clinging to hope — that someday soon, peace will return to their land and they can finally bury their dead without fearing for the lives of the living.
At least forty people have been confirmed dead following a brutal attack by unidentified assailants on Zike community in Kimakpa, located within the Kwall district of Bassa Local Government Area in Plateau State.
According to local sources, the assault took place in the early hours of Monday, with the attackers storming the village and opening fire indiscriminately. Residents, startled by the sound of gunfire, fled in panic, but many were caught in the hail of bullets.
A community leader in Kwall, Wakili Tongwe, revealed that he and a group of vigilantes, along with some security personnel, were on patrol in a nearby community when the assault occurred.
“We were on routine patrol in a different area when the attackers struck. By the time we arrived, they had already done significant damage,” Tongwe said.
He added that while the joint team of vigilantes and security operatives engaged the assailants and eventually repelled them, the casualties were already high. Thirty-six people were confirmed dead at the scene, with four others succumbing to their injuries later in hospital.
Several other villagers sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment in medical facilities nearby.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies in Plateau State are yet to issue any official statement regarding the incident.
This latest massacre comes barely two weeks after a similar attack in the Bokkos Local Government Area of the state, where over fifty people lost their lives in coordinated assaults on several communities.
-
News6 days agoFood Security: Rep. Oseni Boosts Oyo Agriculture, Distributes 5,200 Bags of Fertiliser to Farmers
-
Metro1 week ago
Tragedy as Building Collapse Leaves Many Feared Dead in Lagos {Photos}
-
Education1 week ago
JAMB Reschedules 2025 UTME to 24th April, Opens Portal for Slip Printing
-
News1 week ago
Enugu Runway Shut for Emergency Repairs, Airlines Reroute Flights — FAAN
