Governors say they were not hiding coronavirus food from the people

The governors say they wouldn't do a thing as evil as hoarding food.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has denied allegations that state governors were hoarding relief materials which should have been dispensed to the people during coronavirus-induced lockdowns. There has been a looting spree of warehouses across the country in the wake of the #EndSARS protests.

Some of these warehouses were stockpiled with COVID-19 relief materials donated by the federal government and the private sector.

In a statement by Abudulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, who is head of media and public affairs of the NGF, the governors say reports that these food items were being kept away from the people are “inaccurate, entirely erroneous and untrue but also mischievous."

The statement explained that until mid-October, about 10 states had not begun the distribution of palliatives because the relief materials had not been fully received from the private sector coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID).

The governors say some of the states were still keeping these relief materials in their warehouses because of a projected second wave of the coronavirus.

“The NGF regrets the loss of lives and property occasioned by the violent protests that erupted, and calls for calm,” the statement reads further.

“The NGF re-emphasizes and corrects the impression that palliatives found in warehouses that were broken into in Lagos and some other states were kept in storage for members of the society, especially our vulnerable citizens.

“The erroneous impression in the public domain that these palliatives were hoarded is not just inaccurate, entirely erroneous and untrue but also mischievous, to say the least.

“For the avoidance of doubt, some of the palliatives had the CACOVID stamp embossed on them, meaning that their source is unambiguous.

“As we know, CACOVID operations are mainly domiciled in Lagos, being the headquarters of most of the public-spirited organisations, corporate bodies and individuals that came together to form the Coalition Against COVID-19 -CACOVID.

Chairman of NGF and Governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Fayemi. [Twitter/@KFayemi] “Until mid-October, when the NGF had its last meeting, up to ten states had not participated in the flag-off ceremonies for the distribution of palliatives in their states. This was because the items meant for distribution in these states had not been completely received from CACOVID.

“Some other states that still had palliatives in their warehouses chose to keep a strategic reserve ahead of a projected second wave of COVID-19.

“As of a couple of weeks ago, some states were still receiving palliatives from the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

“The NGF wishes to state categorically that no state has been involved in or has hoarded any palliatives.”

The governors add that they are doing their very best in the circumstances to ameliorate the needs of the teeming population and that they stand for justice, improved governance and a progressive Nigeria.

Homes of politicians and legislators were also looted and burnt by irate mobs.

The #EndSARS protests calling for police reforms, were quelled after soldiers shot into a crowd of peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020.

Nigeria reported its first COVID-19 case on February 28, 2020.

There have been 61,992 reported cases of the virus, 57,465 recoveries and 1, 130 COVID-19 deaths in Nigeria at the time of filing this report.