. Sanwo-Olu apoligises for the looting

Scores of residents in Lagos, on Thursday, began carting away food items stacked in a warehouse in Monkey Village, Maza maza, in Amuwo OdofinLocal Government Area of Lagos State

The food items, which were labelled ‘CACOVID, NOT FOR SALE,’ include bags of rice, macaroni, spaghetti, salt, garri, sugar and cartons of noodles.

CACOVID (Coalition Against COVID-19), launched in March this year, is a private sector-led organisation established to assist the government in combating the coronavirus disease.

A resident of the area told PREMIUM TIMES that residents have been trooping into the warehouse since morning.

“Some people came to the warehouse this morning to carry some items, they always come there to carry every time,” said the resident who preferred not to be named.

“People were begging them and they refused, so when they left, they broke into the warehouse. The government stocked food there while people are suffering.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has condemned the vandalisation of its warehouse at Mazamaza area, housing food palliative packages donated by the Private Sector Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID).

This was contained in a statement signed by Ms Abisola Olusanya, state Acting Commissioner for Agriculture, on Thursday in Lagos.

Olusanya said that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on Sept. 22 formally taken receipt of the food palliatives from the CACOVID team meant for distribution to the indigent.

She noted that the warehouse in question was not state owned and its usage was made available to the CACOVID group.

She added that the state government had been allowed to commence re-baging of food items allotted to it from the quantities meant for South-West states.

According to the statement, the re-baging was being done to account for each beneficiary receipt, as was required and monitored by the CACOVID team.

“The distribution was on-going but had to be halted due to protests, before the invasion of the warehouse today.

“For effective distribution groups such as Transport Unions, Ethnic Groups, Religious Associations, Artisans and Tradesmen Association, Marketmen 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 warehouses and appreciate the support offered by the CACOVID group to the citizenry of Lagos,” she said

Champion Newspaper