Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mariya Mahmoud, condemned the Sunday looting of a warehouse in Gwagwa-Tasha by residents, describing it as a criminal act surpassing mere hunger. Mahmoud made these remarks during her assessment visit to the site to evaluate the extent of damage inflicted on the warehouse.
Addressing journalists at the scene, Mahmoud expressed dismay at the audacious manner in which hoodlums pillaged the warehouse, stripping it of grains, foodstuffs, roofing, and even the perimeter fence. She expressed disappointment in the behavior of the local youths and pledged to establish police posts in government warehouses across the territory to prevent future incidents.
“The incident that occurred here early yesterday morning, where hoodlums attacked this warehouse and looted everything, including the infrastructure, is regrettable,” Mahmoud stated. “The level of destruction is extensive, with machinery and equipment for food processing also targeted. This is a sad event, and we are deeply troubled by it.”
Mahmoud disclosed that the attack transpired while the Administration was replenishing the warehouse in response to President Bola Tinubu’s directive to distribute palliatives to all six area councils in the FCT. She vowed to prosecute those responsible for the violent incident, emphasizing the need to reinforce security measures around government warehouses.
“This heinous act goes beyond mere hunger; it is a criminal offense. Individuals driven by hunger wouldn’t resort to dismantling infrastructure. This behavior does not reflect well on our nation. We will take decisive action against the perpetrators,” she affirmed.
Despite the setback caused by the incident, Mahmoud assured that the Administration would reconstruct the warehouse and associated facilities to resume palliative distribution. However, she acknowledged that the incident might temporarily impede the distribution process.
“We must reconstruct the warehouse, offices, and damaged infrastructure before we can resume operations. This unfortunate event may cause a delay in our palliative distribution efforts, but we are committed to overcoming this setback,” Mahmoud concluded.
