By Onimisi Alao, Yola
Following looting by hoodlums on Sunday morning, Adamawa Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has imposed a curfew on the state.
The curfew starts 3pm Sunday.
The Nation had reported hoodlums on Sunday morning broke into a warehouse in Kwarnawaya, a community on the Yola-Numan highway not far from the state capital, Yola.
Almost immediately, some other hoodlums around Jimeta in the heart of Yola broke into a warehouse in the neighborhood called Bakin Kogi.
They made away with all the bags of rice, noodles, sugar and other items in the warehouses.
Responding to the incidents in a statewide broadcast on0 Sunday afternoon, Fintiri said the incidents, the first in the state since the beginning of EndSARS protests around the country, had forced him to take quick steps to avoid escalation.
He said: “Fellow citizens, it has become necessary to address you this afternoon following the activities of some misguided elements who have broken into warehouses owned by the State Government and carted away COVID-19 palliatives.
“Up till today when the hoodlums broke into the warehouse, our youths have remained calm and have refrained from joining any irate movement that could destabilize the peace Adamawa State has been enjoying so far.
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“In this regard I wish to commend the youths who have not allowed themselves to be misled into doing anything untoward since the ENDSARS protest began in some parts of the Country.
“While this Government respects the rights of the citizens to seek redress, it is not blind to the fact that there is a civilized and responsible way of channeling genuine grievances.”
The Governor, who mentioned four instances when his government distributed palliative items to the people since the COVID-19 pandemic started, announced another distribution was to start on Monday October 26.
On the decision to impose curfew beginning 3pm Sunday, the Governor said: “Fellow citizens we cannot allow hoodlums and misguided elements to operate unchallenged when we are already battling with the challenges of insurgency, kidnapping, cattle rustling, banditry and farmer/herder clashes.
“Furthermore, reports of people dying in the stampede have been received and we cannot afford to allow anyone to lose his or her life.
“We must also avoid a scenario where the security, agents will be blamed if any person loses his/her life while being prevented from looting and destroying government property.
“In view of the above, I have declared and imposed an indefinite dawn to dusk curfew throughout the State beginning from 3 o’clock Sunday the 25th of October 2020.”
