The local chapter of the International Red Cross made the donations.
By Augustine Ajayi
Relief materials worth millions of naira donated to flood victims in five communities of Adamawa state have been carted away by hoodlums, government officials in Yola said, claiming also, that the hoodlums could be political thugs.
The local chapter of the International Red Cross made the donations.
Confirming the attack, the state chairman of the Red Cross, who is also the permanent secretary in the state ministry of environment, Mahmud Abubakar, said the items carted away included kitchen sets, shelter kits, detergents, blankets and mosquito nets donated to five flood affected communities in the state.
Narrating the robbery to PREMIUM TIMES, an official of the state emergency agency who sought anonymity said: “we saw hell as these thugs attacked us with sophisticated weapons threatening us. They carted away with all the items, this is embarrassing.”
The event occurred, according to eyewitnesses, after the state deputy governor, Bala Ngillari, had received the donations, and had warned people living in flood prone areas to listen and comply with early warning reports of impending flood and relocate from flood plains.
It will be bad for anybody to be caught by the flood in the state again, said Mr. Ngilari, who commended the state Red Cross for its kind gesture. But no sooner had Mr. Ngilari and other dignitaries departed, than the thugs numbering about twenty, swooped, commando style, according to eye witnesses, armed with bottles, sticks, and machetes, descended on the venue of the distribution of the materials burgling the central store, and carting away with the donated relief materials.
Mr. Abubakar is miffed, trying to make sense why anybody wants to rip-off internally displaced persons, IDPs, in their predicament, and warning that government will be decisive in dealing with any person involved in such acts.
“It is unfortunate that undesirable elements can resort to such heinous acts. They stole the relief items including those meant for Fufore local government areas. This will not deter us in helping those in need.
“We are still following due process in getting the criminal. Parents should monitor their children and wards,” he said.
The state police public relations officer, Muhammad Ibrahim, said the command is yet to be briefed on the matter.
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