National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has said the looted warehouse in Abuja, yesterday, does not belong to the agency as was reported in some sections of the media.

It was earlier reported that residents of the Federal Capital Territory yesterday looted a warehouse reportedly belonging to a government agency, with some reports alleging that the warehouse belonged to the National Emergency Management Agency over the current economic hardship across the country.

Hoodlums broke into a government storage facility in Gwagwa town in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday, and looted stored food items. Some residents said youths in their number broke into the warehouse located around Tasha area of the community around 7 am, looting bags of maize and grain.

Some residents said youths in their number broke into the warehouse located around Tasha area of the community around 7 am, looting bags of maize and grain. A resident, Jaafar Aminu, said the looting continued unhindered till 9 am.

He said some residents as well as persons from neighbouring Jiwa and Karmo town trooped towards the site with the intention of partaking in the loot.

He said the situation has caused a grid lock on Gwagwa-Karmo road, that leads to Dei-Dei and Jabi axis, respectively.

However, NEMA, in a statement by Ezekiel Manzo, said: “The attention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has been drawn to media reports on Sunday alleging that the Agency’s warehouse was looted by some hoodlums in Abuja.

“This is to clarify that the looted warehouse does not belong to NEMA. However, the agency sympathizes with owners of the looted facility.”

He said, “To forestall any security breach at NEMA facilities, the director general, Mustapha Ahmed has directed zonal directors and heads of operations to strengthen security in and around the Agency’s offices and warehouses nationwide.”

[Leadership]