ENDSARS: Why Sokoto began distribution of palliatives to forestall looting

Sokoto’s government has started distributing Covid-19 palliatives to the citizens of the state following the looting that greeted the ENDSARS curfew across many states of Nigeria since Tuesday.

The Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), on Saturday, began the distribution Saturday, starting from  Isa, Sabon Birni and Gada Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The Federal Government on Sept. 15, handed over 3,659.7 metric tonnes of grains to the Sokoto State Government, as part of measures to cushion the effects of COVID-19 lockdown.

Zubairu Albadau, the Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Tambuwal on Relief and Rehabilitation, flagged off the exercise.

He said that other LGAs in the state will receive their own share of the palliative within the week.

Albadau reassured that the state government will continue to ensure that the hardship, occasioned by the pandemic, is limited.

“Today, we are commencing the distribution of the FG-COVID-19 palliatives to ease the pain inflicted by the pandemic.

“The Federal Government, through the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has provided a large number of food stuffs to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

“However, I urged the beneficiaries of the gesture to ensure proper utilization of the items given to them, to ensure that we reach the set target,” he said.

The Special Adviser added that the palliatives, handed over to the state, includes 1,701.6 Metric tonnes of Maize, 173.10 Metric tonnes of Millet and 1,785 Metric tonnes of Sorghum to cater for 80,405 households.

The move is coming after looters broke into warehouses in several states and carted COVID-19 food reliefs. On Saturday, following such attacks, Osun and Kaduna States imposed curfews to limit the attacks.