In a desperate attempt to feed themselves, a crowd of people broke into a government-run food storage facility in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, taking large amounts of rice and corn. Eyewitnesses say the looting took place early Sunday morning at the storage facility in the Tasha area of the city.
The looting continued for nearly two hours, until about 9 am, when it began to attract the attention of people from surrounding towns. This led to even more people descending on the warehouse, causing a massive traffic jam in the area. The incident is a sobering reminder of the desperation felt by many Nigerians as the cost of living continues to rise and food prices soar.
This isn’t the first time the storage facility has been looted. In fact, a similar incident occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, when food supplies and equipment were stolen from the warehouse.
In response to the incident, the spokesperson for the FCT police, SP Josephine Adeh, stated that police forces were mobilized and were working to restore order. She also reassured the public that the situation was under control.