The Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency, BYSEMA, has warned against the consumption of food items carted away by some residents from a private warehouse in Yenegoa, the state capital, on Sunday.

The BYSEMA Director-General, Walamam Sam-Igrubia, in a statement on Monday, said the looted items were unsafe for human consumption.

He said, contrary to insinuations, the items were remnants of food stuff distributed to flood victims in 2022.

The statement read: “The Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency [BYSEMA] notes with surprise and concern the unwarranted invasion of the premises of a privately owned warehouse in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa, the state capital.

“The incident occurred about 7.45 p.m. on Sunday, August 27, almost an hour after the Director-General, Walamam Sam Igrubia, alongside some BYSEMA personnel, left the warehouse premises.

“During the 2022 flood in the state, the agency used the warehouse to store food items. As part of preparations for an impending flood this year, the DG visited the premises, and in his presence, remnants of food items, notably rice and garri that were no longer fit for consumption, were cleared from the warehouse and placed outside for disposal the next day.

“The remnants, which were swept from the floor and packed in disused bags, were less than 10 bags of rice and garri and with some broken cans of oil. For emphasis, BYSEMA states that these items were not fresh food palliatives and were not hoarded by the agency or the state government.

“Importantly, these items are unfit for human consumption, and a responsible, caring government like ours will not give Bayelsans such items as palliatives.

“In essence, there were really no food items to loot. So, those who carted away the unfit items are please advised in their own interest, not to consume them. BYSEMA equally condemns the action of the yet-to-be-identified persons that invaded the premises of a private warehouse on Sunday.

“It also condemns the attempt to politicise the incident by opposition elements in the state, who seek to score cheap political points from the ugly occurrence.

“The Agency assures people of the state of its preparedness to handle the distribution of palliatives provided by the Federal Government as part of cushioning the effects of its fuel subsidy removal policy as well as the fallout of an impending flooding this year,” the statement added.

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