Residents storm, loot warehouse over cheap food scheme in Osun

Residents of Osogbo, Osun State, have looted a warehouse operated by the Global Food Initiative after organisers of a cheap food scheme allegedly disappeared with customers’ money.

According to PUNCH, residents stormed the organisation’s Odi-Olowo office on Tuesday after waiting for operators to resume business following their disappearance on Monday.

Customers had deposited money to purchase food below market prices. One resident, Mistura, said she paid N300,000 for 11 bags of rice, while another, Olamide, said she deposited N1.2m for food intended for her stepdaughter’s wedding.

“I got here this morning and met a crowd waiting to be attended to, but the operators were nowhere to be found,” Olamide said.

Despite appeals from the building owner for residents to allow security agents investigate, some people forced open the warehouse around 4pm.

They removed bags of rice, noodles and groundnut oil despite heavy rainfall. Police officers attempted to control the crowd and fired canisters to disperse residents as looting continued.