…says grains belong to Dangote Foundation
From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Government has said that all the looted Ware houses located at the Kara market, belonged to Birnin Kebbi local Government Council.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources,Alhaji Shehu Mu’azu confirmed this at the press conference after the emergency State Executive meeting,Chaired by the Deputy Governor Senator Umar Abubakar.
He disclosed that the State Government had distributed all the palliatives meant for the people stressed that,the looted grains, bags of rice belongs to the Dangote Foundation.
Mu’azu said, during the State Executive Council meeting,the Dangote Foundation state Coordinator had admitted that they have made mistake for not earlier informed the security agencies about their palliative distribution in the state.
According to him, ” for us, it’s took us 8 days to distribute all our palliatives and there was no incident of violence during our distribution. It is a bit surprise to us that vandals invaded Ware Houses and carted away goods belongs to the people.
“I want to put it on record that the Ministry of Agriculture,which is Custodian of the grains reserved for the Kebbi State,not a single grain given to us were carted away. As the state,we have distributed all our palliatives as planned. And for the glory of God,all the distribution committee have collected their grains without any incident.
“The looted stores were grains that belongs to the Dangote Foundation. It is a very good thing that the man with his good intention, wisdoms, benevolent,wanted to give succours to the people of Nigeria including the people of Kebbi State.
“Unfortunately,the distribution of the palliatives by the State Coordinator was plan wrongly. Wrongly in the sense that,none of the security agencies in the state were aware considering the magnitude of the programme.
“It is not the fault of Aliko Dangote,but the problem is from the State Coordinator in Kebbi State. As the state, we really appreciated the efforts of Aliko Dangote for trying to bring succours to our people.
“However, we are not part of what had happened. So the grains that were carted away belongs to Birnin Kebbi local Government Council. They took almost 80% of their palliative to Kara market ware house. The Council were given 7,200 bags of grains and out of this number, 2,100 bags were siphoned”, he said.
Mu’azu added that all the Ware Houses of the state government remained intact,stressed that the 13 man Committee set up by the state government to reveal the cause of the vandalisation would soon start it’s sitting.
Earlier,the Commissioner for Information and Cultures,Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed,while collaborating his counterparts explanation,said, the state government had set up 13 man Committee to investigate what actually transpired at Kara market Ware Houses.
He added that the state Executive Council meeting also approved intervention of N1m each to 3,344 intending pilgrims to 2024 Hajj while the pilgrims themselves should pay the remaining N900,000.