Anxiety filled the air when residents of Urara in Benin, Edo State, looted a truckload of rice parked in the vicinity on the first day of the protest against bad governance and hunger, which took place across the nation.
A 40-second viral video showed residents running to a section of a street in Urara and emerging with mini bags of rice. The person who shot the video was heard shouting, “This is our rice that the government gave us; this is where they hid it. We have found it. This is Urara. Look at the rice everywhere; come and collect your rice. This is the rice that the Edo State Government gave us; this is where they hid it.”
In another video, a resident claimed that the truck was parked behind Bethel Faith Secondary School, Urara, describing the Edo State Government’s action as wicked.
However, the All Progressives Congress stated that it was not surprised by this discovery, as the Godwin Obaseki government in the state had consistently converted everything received from the Federal Government on behalf of the Edo people into donations made by his administration.
The APC’s state chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, who spoke to our correspondence said it was clear that the Edo State Government did not care about the people of the state.
Tenebe explained: “Last month, the Federal Government confirmed that all 36 states, including Edo, received 20 trucks of rice. However, Obaseki has failed to account for them. He has achieved this by repackaging the rice and other grains in branded mini bags with Edo State insignia.”
The APC further alleged that Obaseki’s government spends N1 billion monthly on rice purchases. If there was any doubt, the video that emerged on social media today, showing an abandoned truckload of repackaged Federal Government rice with Edo State Government insignia discovered by Urara residents, has exposed Obaseki’s deliberate plan to deprive the people of accessing different palliative measures.
However, Chris Nehikhare, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, dismissed claims that the state government had a warehouse in Urora or was responsible for looting rice from an unidentified truck. He said: “The Edo State Government has received information about the looting of bags of rice from private residences in parts of Benin City during the #EndBadGovernance protests.”
Nehikhare clarified: “The videos circulating are said to have originated from the Urara area of Ikpoba Hill, Benin City. The government does not have a warehouse in that location. We support vulnerable individuals with relief materials through religious organisations such as the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, and Edo State Muslims Pilgrim Welfare Board.”
He continued: “The state government does not keep relief materials; instead, we reach out to people through these channels. We will not be swayed by false information spread by malicious political actors seeking to score cheap points.”
