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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa state government has clarified its position on the invasion of a private warehouse Monday evening by some residents in Yenagoa Bayelsa State capital
According to investigation, the warehouse which housed palliatives during the 2022 flooding came under attack by several people who jumped over the fence to loot food items including packs of bottled water.
It took the intervention of a detachment of Policemen to disperse the crowd who were struggling to outdo one another.
However a statement titled: “Invasion of Warehouse Premises signed by the Director- General, Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency (BYSEMA), Mr Samuel Walaman Igrubia expressed surprise and concern over the invasion.
According to him he had visited the premises to supervise the cleaning of the warehouse and packing of remnants of unused palliatives which were bad and were to be thrown away.
He said contrary to insinuations the food items which are not fit for human consumption was not part of the fuel subsidy palliatives.
Igrubia warned those who had looted the food items against consuming them as they are injurious to the health.
The statement read in part : “As part of preparations for an impending flood this year, the DG visited the premises, and in his presence, remnants of food items, notably rice and garri that were no longer fit for consumption, were cleared from the warehouse and placed outside for disposal the next day.
“The remnants, which were swept from the floor and packed in disused bags, were less than 10 bags of rice and garri and with some broken cans of oil.
“For emphasis, BYSEMA states that these items were not fresh food palliatives and were not hoarded by the Agency or the state government.
“Importantly, these items are unfit for human consumption and a responsible, caring government like ours will not give Bayelsans such items as palliatives.
“In essence, there were really no food items to loot. So, those who carted away the unfit items are please advised in their own interest not to consume them.
“BYSEMA equally condemns the action of the yet-to-be-identified persons that invaded the premises of a private warehouse on Sunday. It also condemns the attempt to politicise the incident by opposition elements in the state, who seek to score cheap political points from the ugly occurrence.”
The Agency assures people of the state of its preparedness to handle the distribution of palliatives provided by the Federal Government as part of cushioning the effects of its fuel subsidy removal policy as well as the fallout of an impending flooding this year.
