Pix: Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa
The military high command said it would be deploying troops to protect the warehouses of the National Emergency Management Agency across the country.
Amidst the country’s economic struggles and the rising cost of living, there have been several incidents of attacks and looting targeting warehouses and food trucks in many parts of the country.
For example, some youths stole food items from trucks stuck in traffic along Kaduna Road in the Suleja area of Niger State.
Also, the Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration confirmed the looting of its Dei-Dei warehouse by FCT residents, following the prevailing economic hardships in the country.
Similarly, an attempt to loot a private warehouse at the Idu industrial layout in the FCT was thwarted by the personnel of the Nigerian Army.
No fewer than five persons were arrested with their loot in that operation.
Additionally, NEMA’s Coordinator in the South-West Zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, on Thursday noted that the agency had put in place measures to forestall any attack on government warehouses by miscreants, who may want to hide under the cover of the current challenge in the country, to break into facilities where food items are stored
Asked if the military would be part of the arrangement to secure the agency’s warehouses, the Director, Defence, Media Operation, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward on Friday noted that NEMA warehouses are critical assets and the military would ensure they are adequately protected.
He said, “Statutorily, NEMA deals with the military as part of the disaster response. The military in turn deploys the closest military unit as DRU. Accordingly, any request from NEMA for the protection of their warehouses or assistance in respect of a disaster is always obliged by the military. NEMA warehouses are part of national critical assets and it’s part of the military mandate to protect critical assets.”