Dawn-dusk curfew in Adamawa as hoodlums loot palliatives

• Abuja residents raid, cart away food, other items at Idu, Jabi

From Umar Dankano, Yola and Stanley Onyekwere, Abuja

Following the looting and vandalisation of government properties by misguided elements in Adamawa state yesterday (Sunday), the state government has imposed an indefinite dawn to dusk curfew in the state.
Governor Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri while declaring the 24 hours curfew in a statewide broadcast stressed that the action became necessary to avoid further break down of law and order by some unpatriotic hoodlums.
Governor Fintiri said the hoodlums broke into the government owned warehouses at Namtari-kwanarwaya and Bakin kogi and looted the COVID-19 palliatives meant to be shared to people soon as government was only waiting for the remaining packages from Federal government.
“While some of the items such as Noodles, sugar, salt among others have been delivered, rice which is the most crucial of the items is yet be delivered hence the delay in the release of the items.
“Further more,reports of people dying in the stampede have been received and we can not afford to allow anyone to lose his or her life.
“We must also avoid a scenario where the security agents will be blamed if any person loses his/ her life while prevented from looting and destroying government property. In view of the above, I have declared and imposed an indefinite dawn to dusk curfew through out the state beginning from 3 O’clock Sunday the 25th of October 2020.
“Movement by all manner of vehicles except as authorised, is hereby prohibited as curfew comes into effect”, Gov.Fintiri declared.
Meanwhile, reports of looting and vandalisation of government properties has been recorded in Numan local government area where hoodlums attacked agriculture store situated on hospital road opposite Numan cottage hospital mortuary.
Other places attacked include Primary health care department in the local government secretariat Numan where they looted all valuable items as computers, chairs among others .
Some of the hoodlums were heard to be accusing the state government of hoarding these palliatives subjecting the masses to untold hardship.
Meanwhile, some Abuja residents with the aid of suspected hoodlums yesterday invaded and raided several warehouses at the Idu Industrial Layout, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the nation’s capital city.
Also, mob raided the FCT agric store located at Gwagwa-Tasha, also in AMAC, carting various items, such as bags of grains, sewing machines, mattresses, cartons of milk and tin tomatoes, including other unidentified items.
Equally, according to unconfirmed reports National Emergency Management Agency (NEM warehouse, Jabi-Daki Biu was also allegedly torched in the looting spree that erupted.