Not less than six starving Nigerians have died and many injured following a stampede at the Taraba State Government warehouse, where palliatives meant to alleviate the suffering of the people as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, were hoarded by government officials.
The incident occurred when residents broke into the warehouse and were scrambling for the COVID-19 palliatives.
Eyewitnesses told the Punch that six corpses were moved to the mortuary in the early hours of Sunday.
“We took about six bodies to the federal medical centre morgue between yesterday (Saturday) and the early hours of today.
“There is hunger in the land and thousands of people moved in to get the food palliatives and unfortunately some died in the process.
“This is what the government wants by refusing to share the items.”
The Taraba Police Command are yet to comment on the incident as at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Taraba State Government has imposed a curfew on Jalingo following the invasion of government warehouses with palliatives and other stores in the state.
State Deputy Governor, Engr. Haruna Manu announced this in a statewide broadcast in Jalingo.
He said the curfew would run from 11 pm on Saturday to 8 am on Monday when the government would further review the situation.
Ordinary Nigerians, worst hit by the pandemic, have been breaking into warehouses in respectives states of the federation, taking what rightfully belonged to them, but denied them by the state governments.
Nigerians have been outraged by the discoveries and the callousness of the ruling class.
