NEMA denies looting of its warehouse in Abuja

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has refuted claims made by certain groups that its warehouse in Abuja was ransacked by hoodlums on Sunday.

Manzo Ezekiel, the spokesperson for NEMA, clarified in a statement on Sunday that the warehouse that was looted does not belong to the agency, although he expressed sympathy for the owners of the facility that was targeted.

NEMA said it has taken measures to safeguard its facilities nationwide.

“The attention of the National Emergency Management Agency has been drawn to media reports on Sunday alleging that the Agency’s warehouse was looted by some hoodlums in Abuja.

“This is to clarify that the looted warehouse does not belong to NEMA. However, the Agency sympathizes with owners of the looted facility.

“To forestall any security breach at NEMA facilities, the Director General Mustapha Habib Ahmed has directed Zonal Directors and Heads of Operations to strengthen security in and around the Agency’s offices and warehouses nationwide,” the statement reads.

Earlier, it was widely reported that some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday morning, raided and looted a warehouse which was alleged to belong to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) over the current economic hardship across the country.

It was reported that the looted warehouse is located in the Karimo, Phase 3 Region of the FCT area of Abuja.

This is coming against the backdrop of protests in the past couple of weeks in some parts of the country over the current high cost of living in the country.

According to reports, dozens of Abuja residents were seen forcefully carting away foodstuffs and other items from the warehouse.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for NEMA has denied the media report that the warehouse belongs to its agency.