Hardship: Looting of Food Trucks Fuels Fears of Industry Collapse Amid Food Shortages

• There are fears that the current economic crisis in Nigeria might trigger anarchy, according to the organised private sector
• The organised private sector has also condemned the series of looting that transpired in some states last week
• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has been urged to swing into action before it becomes an uncontrollable anarchy

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

The organised private sector has raised the alarm over the increasing incidents of theft targeting trucks transporting essential goods and materials, fearing that it could disrupt industrial operations nationwide.

Representatives of the sector voiced their concerns in a recent interview highlighting recent attacks on trucks carrying building materials and spaghetti in Ogun and Kaduna states.

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Additionally, the Federal Government announced plans to distribute free grains to states starting this week.

Various trucks and storage facilities, predominantly belonging to manufacturers and other entities within the OPS, have faced assaults by criminals amidst escalating food inflation and a deepening cost of living crisis nationwide.

Looting in Abuja, Niger, and others

Recently, a group of young individuals pilfered food supplies from trucks immobilised in traffic along Kaduna Road in the Suleja region of Niger State.

Over the weekend, a group of criminals targeted a warehouse owned by the Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration in Dei-Dei, the capital city's vicinity.

They stole rice, grains, and other essential supplies. Separately, soldiers guarding a private warehouse in the Idu Industrial Estate, Jabi, Abuja, successfully thwarted another attempted looting by a different group.

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Responding to this development, Gabriel Idahosa, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), expressed concern that the ongoing economic challenges are fueling chaos.

He warned that these attacks could exacerbate issues for businesses, potentially resulting in their closure.

As quoted by Punch, Idahosa said:

“The chickens are coming home to roost. The government has asked the people to be patient, but the stomach cannot be patient even if the head wants to be patient. In a state of anomy, it will lead to a state of anarchy.

“The looters are not concerned whether it is government or private property. They just want food, anything that looks like food, they will go after it. This is why concerned observers have asked the government to look for concrete measures to reduce the state of hunger in the land.’’

Economic hardship behind looting

Alhaji AbdulRahman Bioku, Chairman of the Kwara/Kogi Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and CEO of the Bioraj Group of companies, also discussed the recent looting of food items and goods in the country.

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He linked the looting to the prevailing conditions in Nigeria, stating that widespread hunger and frustration drive people to such actions.

Bioku highlighted the impact of company closures on employment, noting that many workers have been laid off, and those still employed receive reduced salaries.

The Executive Secretary of Abeokuta Chambers of Commerce, Alhaji Abdulrahman Maku, criticised the act of individuals looting trucks transporting food supplies owned by companies.

He called upon the police to regard these individuals as criminals. Maku also urged state governors who pledged to distribute various forms of food aid to expedite the process.

He denounced the reports of food truck looting, labelling the actions as criminal and emphasising the need for the police to take firm action against the perpetrators.

Economic hardship: Buhari, not Tinubu to blamed - Plateau governor

Caleb Mutfwang, the governor of Plateau state, has pointed fingers at former President Muhammadu Buhari for the current economic challenges in Nigeria.

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He stated that Buhari left a struggling economy for President Bola Tinubu and compromised Nigeria's future through frequent borrowing.

Mutfwang holds Buhari accountable for the hunger crisis and the rampant looting of warehouses and food supplies nationwide.

Source: Legit.ng