The Osun Food and Relief Committee has said contrary to reports circulating in the public space, it did not hoard COVID-19 palliatives stored in a warehouse in Ede, Osun State.
The scores invaded the warehouse on Friday and looted COVID-19 palliatives majorly foodstuffs before the arrival of security operatives.
Explaining in a statement, the Secretary of the Committee, Bayo Jimoh, said the relief materials were donated to the state government by the Private Sector Coalition Against Covid-19 also known as CACOVID.
Jimoh said the food items were not hoarded but his committee had not received the order to distribute the food items as more items were expected from Abuja.
According to the statement titled, ‘Ede Warehouse Attack: Putting the Records Straight,’ Jimoh said, “We are in receipt of information that the warehouse in Ede, where has been attacked and food items carted away.
“It has, therefore, become imperative to put the records straight in view of the falsehood and the misinformation making the rounds about the donated relief items.
“One, it is not true that the food items were hoarded.
“Two, the food items have no direct bearing with the State Government, as they are within the purview of the Food and Relief Committee.
“Three, the items can only be distributed after a formal flag-off by the CACOVID Office, Abuja.
“Four, we do not have the authority to distribute the food items without approval from Abuja.
“Besides, the Committee is still expecting the rice component of the donated items, which is 40, 230 bags of 5kg.
“All these are part of the reasons the items were still in the warehouse up till the time of the invasion.”
The statement added, “The following items were donated: Pasta FMN – 29, 992; Pasta OLAM -10, 282; Noodles- 80, 644; Garri -40, 322; Salt- 40, 320; and Sugar – 40, 227.”
It said “the rice components of the donated items are yet to be delivered up until now” despite a letter written to that effect.
There have been reports of widespread arson and violence in the past few days as rampaging hoodlums loot, raze and destroy public and private assets around the country.
Some persons had also on Thursday plundered a warehouse housing COVID-19 palliatives in the Mazamaza community of Amuwo Odofin Local Government in Lagos State.
