Looted Bags Of Rice Not Our property – Edo Govt

By Ayodele Oni

Edo State government has clarified that bags of rice looted by protesters on Thursday in the state capital are not its property.

The State commissioner for Information and Orientation Chris Osa Nehikhare said government has received information about looting of bags of rice from unidentified truck and private residences in parts of Benin City in the wake of the #EndBadGovernance protests adding that government does not have a warehouse in that location.

This was contained in a press statement signed and made available to the press  in Benin City by the  commissioner.

According to the statement, “the Edo State Government has received information about the looting of bags of rice from unidentified truck and private residences in parts of Benin City in the wake of the #EndBadGovernance protests.

“The videos making the rounds are said to have emanated from the Urora axis of Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, and government does not have a warehouse in that location.

“The government supports the vulnerable with relief materials through religious organisations particularly the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Edo State Muslims Pilgrim Welfare Board.”

The statement further added that the government doesn’t keep any relief materials meant for the people

“The State government does not keep any relief material by itself but reaches out to the people through these channels.

“We will not put this tactic past the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is spreading malicious content to score cheap political points. This condemnable action is intended to cause chaos in the state and the APC is discouraged from such ignoble practice.”

He therefore advised the people to disregard the message intended to mislead the unsuspecting members of the public.

“The public is enjoined to disregard the malicious message that these people are trying to send with the video.

“We want to once again urge protesters not to attack or destroy the property of others as they go about their demonstration in a peaceful and orderly manner.”