Residents of Ikponwen and Eromosele Streets in Urora Quarters, Benin City, Edo State, hijacked a trailer carrying rice palliatives on Thursday.

Reliable sources informed EQ that the trailer, loaded with bags of rice, was attempting to offload at an unsuspecting house in the neighborhood when residents began looting it.

The source revealed that the house where the trailer was to offload was filled to the brim with foodstuffs. In response, residents removed the roof of the building to access the supplies.

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“This happened in my father’s street today. A truckload of rice palliatives was hijacked while it was attempting to offload at an unsuspecting house in the neighborhood,” the source said.

“It was also discovered that the house was filled to the brim with foodstuffs, so the roof was removed and people took food.”

A 40-second video shared with EQ by the source showed people running to carry bags of rice from the truck, and some residents were seen armed with the bags.

Residents looting at Urora Quarters, Benin, Edo State.

Each resident carried at least two bags of rice. A male voice in the video urged the residents to come out and carry their share of the palliative.

The looted rice. Credit: X.

“See our rice. This is the rice the government is supposed to give us, but they hid it. We’ve located it,” he said.

“This place is Urora. See the rice that the Edo State Government was supposed to give us, but they hid it. Our rice. They hid our rice. Everybody should come out and take rice.”

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government on Thursday evening denied hoarding relief materials meant for its citizens, and also of having a warehouse in Urora Quarters.

Chris Osa Nehikhare, the commissioner for communication and orientation, said the hijack could be traced to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) trying to score cheap political points ahead of the state’s gubernatorial elections.

“The Edo State Government has received information about the looting of bags of rice from an unidentified truck and private residences in parts of Benin City in the wake of the #EndBadGovernance protests,” he said in a statement.

“The videos making the rounds are said to have emanated from the Urora axis of Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, and the government does not have a warehouse in that location.

“The government supports the vulnerable with relief materials through religious organisations particularly the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Edo State Muslims Pilgrim Welfare Board.

“The State government does not keep any relief material by itself but reaches out to the people through these channels.

“We will not put this tactic past the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is spreading malicious content to score cheap political points. This condemnable action is intended to cause chaos in the state and the APC is discouraged from such ignoble practice.

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“The public is enjoined to disregard the malicious message that these people are trying to send with the video.

“We want to once again urge protesters not to attack or destroy the property of others as they go about their demonstration in a peaceful and orderly manner.”

The hijacking comes amid a nationwide protest against hunger, which kicked off on Thursday. The protesters, among other things, are demanding a reduction in the cost of living.

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