Another truck carrying food and other items was on Monday 4 March, 2024 looted in Abuja, which is a repeat of looting from a warehouse the previous day same Dei-Dei in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to sources, the truck, which was en route from Zuba via Madalla Road, fell victim to the rampage at the Dei-Dei junction. The incident occurred between 7 am and 10 am in front of the NNPC filling station.
Eyewitnesses revealed that the attackers, primarily artisans accustomed to unloading goods from such trucks, targeted the vehicle, believed to be transporting goods from the Northern part of the country. The goods were destined for a warehouse that had been previously attacked on Sunday.
Videos circulating online, as reported by BusinessDay, depict scenes of chaos as residents, including women and children, seized the opportunity to help themselves to the trailer’s cargo. Bags of maize and grain, some bearing the Nigerian Coat of Arms, were among the loot.
One participant in the looting justified the actions, citing hunger and the perceived spoiling of government palliatives within the truck’s contents. The sentiment echoes the frustrations felt by many amid rising food insecurity and economic hardship.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar occurrence over the weekend, where hoodlums breached a government storage facility in Gwagwa town, owned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and looted stored food items. The pattern of opportunistic looting underscores the deep-seated grievances and desperation prevailing among segments of the population.
As authorities grapple with maintaining law and order amidst escalating tensions, residents of Dei-Dei and surrounding areas remain on edge, with concerns mounting over the security of essential goods and the broader implications for community stability.
Temi Bamgbose
