Hoodlums in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State looted relief materials meant for flood victims in the state. The North Central Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Eugene Nyelong, had on Tuesday, donated the items to the State Emergency Management Agency for flood victims in Makurdi, Guma, Otukpo and Agatu Local Government Areas.
According to reports, the materials were being shared to the 2020 flood victims at Otukpo local government secretariat when some persons suspected to be hoodlums disrupted the process and looted the items.
A witness while narrating the incident stated that, “Despite the presence of heavily armed security men, the process was disrupted by those who were not accredited and the materials were taken away.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Otukpo LGA, George Ali has refuted the claims. He said the relief materials were not looted but some people attacked beneficiaries who had collected the items.
The Chairman said, “It was at the point that some of them were carrying the items away that they were attacked.
“So, it is not as if the materials were looted. If they were taking them outside the gate and it was collected, I do not have control over that.”
The items donated for distribution included rice, beans, vegetable oil, salt, seasoning, tomatoes, pasta, sugar, mattresses, mosquito nets, blankets, bath towels, detergents, soaps, diapers, sanitary pads, among others.
