A truck carrying food and other items was on Monday looted in Abuja; this was a follow-up to yesterday’s theft from a warehouse in the same Dei-Dei neighborhood of the Federal Capital Territory’s Bwari Local Area.
The truck was traveling from Zuba via Madalla Road when it was caught in the rampage at the Dei-Dei intersection, according to sources. The incident took place in front of the NNPC filling station between 7 and 10 am.
Witnesses testified that the attackers, who were mostly artisans used to emptying cargo from these kinds of trucks, went after the car, which was reportedly carrying products from the country’s north. The products were going to a facility that was targeted in a Sunday attack earlier.
Videos circulating online show scenes of chaos as locals—including women and children—took advantage of the chance to help themselves to the trailer’s contents. Among the plunder were bags of grain and corn, some of which had the Nigerian Coat of Arms on them.
One of the looters used hunger and the apparent spoiling of government palliatives in the truck’s cargo as justification for their conduct. The statement reflects the frustrations that many people have in light of the growing rates of food insecurity and financial difficulties.
This event occurs after 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.
