•FCT’s decision to prosecute looters is welcome even if it is not enough

Just as well that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has decided to prosecute 15 suspects it arrested in connection with the looting of a warehouse belonging to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in Gwagwa-Tasha, Abuja, on March 3. Foodstuffs and other items kept in the warehouse were stolen. The roofing sheets, doors and gates were also carted away by the hoodlums.

Josephine Ade, the FCT police spokesperson said in a statement later in the day that two security guards that were supposed to be securing the place were among the 15 suspects. She said 26 bags of maize, five motorcycles and some vandalised aluminium roofing sheets were recovered from the suspects.

“The Police Command in the FCT is fully informed about the impulsive attack on Agric Department Strategic Food Store located at Tasha area of Abuja, on March 3,” the statement reads.

“The attack has resulted to the vandalism and looting of the warehouse.

“The command wishes to state that normalcy has since been restored to the area and the situation under control.”

The looting, said to have taken place between 7.00a.m. and 9.00a.m. was allegedly perpetrated by residents of Jiwa and Karmo, conterminous communities to Gwagwa.

We welcome the decision to prosecute the suspects arrested in connection with the looting. In such a situation, it is difficult to apprehend all the culprits. Only those of them that are caught, arraigned and convicted would serve as warning that the government does not approve of such shameful conduct. When such scapegoats are eventually sentenced in accordance with the law, it would serve as deterrence to those who might want to toe a similar path in the future.

However, much as we condemn the action of the looters, we urge the government to work harder to assuage the hunger in the land. There is no doubt that the economic crisis is taking a huge toll on the average Nigerian and there is an urgent need to lessen its impact on the people.

We acknowledge the plan of the FCT authorities to further tighten security at all public warehouses in the federal capital. This is good except that we doubt if we have enough security personnel for such duties in a way that it would not jeopardise security in some other areas.

Second, there is a limit to the kind of crowd that such security men can check. We saw the kind of crowds that participated in the #EndSARS riots in 2020. How many policemen or soldiers do you deploy to check such crowds protesting almost simultaneously in several parts of the country?

What we are saying in essence is that while nothing should justify crime, and that people should not resolve to self-help to solve their problems, the government too must take actions to reduce the pang of hunger.

Demoralising as they could be, incidents such as the attack on the warehouse in Abuja and similar ones in other parts of the country should not make governments to contemplate stopping warehousing of foodstuffs and other essential commodities for the rainy day.

Indeed, they should strengthen the resolve of governments to do more on social palliatives, even if they must review the process from time to time for efficiency.

Moreover, governments at all levels must find means of engaging our jobless youths in mechanised farming. Those wishing to establish small scale businesses should be assisted with training and soft loans.

Meanwhile, we look forward to the arrested suspects having their day in court. As the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, observed, those who carted away roofs, doors and gates cannot be said to have done that because they were hungry. They are criminals and should be so treated.

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