In a startling breach of security, residents of Kebbi State, including the capital city of Birnin Kebbi, engaged in widespread looting of both government and private-owned warehouses on Saturday night, exacerbating the state’s cost of living crisis.
The looters targeted a government storage facility located in the Bayan Kara area, successfully overpowering the security forces on guard to make away with essential food items.
The spree of theft extended beyond government stockpiles, as private warehouses and retail stores in the vicinity also fell victim to the raid. A truck filled with a variety of grains, which had broken down and was intended for distribution within Birnin Kebbi, was likewise plundered.
This wave of looting in Kebbi State follows similar incidents in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Suleja in Niger State, highlighting a growing trend of desperation amid difficult economic times attributed to the removal of petrol subsidies and the naira’s flotation.
Chairman of the Bayan Kara Market food vendors association, Muhammadu Gwadangwaji, reported the severity of the situation, noting that the aggression of the youths was undeterred by security efforts, which included firing gunshots and deploying tear gas.
“They forced their way in and looted the government warehouse and some of our shops,” Gwadangwaji recounted. He further mentioned that several shops and warehouses were set ablaze by the marauders.
Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, condemned the attacks as “unfortunate” and unprecedented in Kebbi State.
“The hoodlums had earlier attacked the consignment of food items brought to the state for distribution to the people by Dangote before targeting the government warehouse,” he explained.
Idris lamented the theft of foodstuffs, purchased by the state government for its citizens, totalling over N5 billion distributed across more than 200 trucks.
“It is unfortunate those who broke into the warehouse had gone there to steal what belongs to the people of the state,” he added, confirming that measures had been taken to secure the warehouses against future incidents.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Nafiu Abubakar, for comments were unsuccessful.