‘Return looted items in 48 hours or face the law’, Police in Plateau warns

THE Plateau State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to residents of the state to return ‘looted items’ during attacks on warehouses containing COVID-19 palliatives.

Donbey Peter, the Acting Police Public Relations Officer of the command said this in a statement issued on Monday in Jos, the state capital over the attack in some part of the state.

“We, therefore, wish to give the looters the grace to immediately return every looted item to the nearest local government secretariat not later than Wednesday, October 28,” Peter said.

“Anyone found in possession of any looted item after this date will be arrested and brought to book.”

According to him, Edward Egbuka, the State Commissioner of Police, has condemned the attacks noting that they were aimed at truncating the peace enjoyed in the state.

“The commissioner described it as an act of criminality aimed at truncating the tireless efforts of the Police and other security agencies at ensuring a peaceful Plateau,” he said.

He added that members of the public are also reminded that the 24-hour curfew imposed on the area was still in force, warning that anyone caught violating the order would be decisively dealt with.

For more than five days, residents of some states in Nigeria have invaded warehouses and made away with COVID-19 palliatives some of which were meant to have been distributed to members of the public in response to the pandemic.

Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Kaduna Kwara, Plateau states, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja among others have witnessed the attacks on warehouses where COVID-19 palliatives are kept.

Meanwhile, in a viral video, an officer of the Nigerian Army was seen urging residents of Ilorin, Kwara  State capital, to loot but not to destroy public properties or attack anyone.

As the residents rushed out in numbers to take their portion of the COVID-19 palliatives in a warehouse, the soldier continued to chant, ‘just go in peace, don’t attack anybody.’

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