Govt condemns raid as residents loot COVID-19 palliatives in warehouse

Hoodlums yesterday invaded a warehouse where COVID-19 palliative was stored at Mazamaza community in Lagos State.

The community is located in the Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.

Viral video footages circulating on social media showed the looters, entering the warehouse and looting the COVID-19 palliative.

The warehouse is located on Benster Crescent, popularly called Monkey Village.

The looting started as early as 8:00 a.m.

It was gathered that the hoodlums also set a bonfire at a junction not far from the warehouse. The hoodlums later asked residents in the area to move into the warehouse and pick some palliative.

One of the residents, Sherif Olaiya said: “We heard sounds of gunshots.

The hoodlums attacked a place where COVID-19 palliatives were stored. They then asked residents to pick the palliatives.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has condemned the vandalisation of the warehouse at Mazamaza. In a statement by Abisola Olusanya, acting Commissioner for Agriculture, the government said the warehouse held the food palliative packages donated to the state government by the Private Sector Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) group.

“The Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had on September 22nd formally taken receipt of the food palliatives from the CACOVID team meant for distribution to indigent
persons,” the statement said.

“The government notes that the warehouse in question is not state-owned and its usage was made available to the CaCOVID group. The State Government had been allowed to commence rebagging of food items allotted to it from the quantities meant for South-West states.

“The re-bagging was being done to account for each beneficiary receipt, as was required and monitored by the CACOVID team.

The distribution was ongoing but had to be halted due to protests, before the invasion of the warehouse yesterday.

“For effective distribution of the food palliative, groups such as transport unions, ethnic groups, religious associations, artisans and tradesmen association, market men and women association, People Living with Disabilities, orphanages and old peoples’ homes among others were being used as distribution channels to their members.

“The State Government however regrets the invasion of the warehouse and appreciate the support offered by the CACOVID group to the citizenry of Lagos.”