CITIZENS COMPASS —SUSPECTED hoodlums have hijacked trucks loaded with bags of 10kg of rice in Kwara State. The items were meant to be delivered to some yet-to-be-ascertained communities as their shares of palliatives to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. along the Oja-Oba/Idi-Ape/Isale-Oja axis of Ilorin, East, and West local government areas when three Toyota Dynas fully loaded with rice passing through the site, attracted the attention of the people and they attacked the trucks.

The attackers reportedly emptied the three trucks, fully loaded with rice.

This development led to a free-for-all fight, creating tension that sent shivers to the residents and traders in the areas.

The operatives of the Nigeria Police were later seen in the areas some minutes after the incidents questioning people but made no arrests at that time.

Recall that as part of a measure to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy, the state government acknowledged receipt of N2 billion out of the N5 billion announced by the federal government, which is meant to purchase rice to be distributed to the vulnerable.

The state government afterwards announced a committee chaired by now-retired Commissioner of Police Ebunoluwarotimi Adelesi and other prominent personalities to handle the assignment.

Subsequently, the committee flagged off the distribution of the 10kg rice with phase one carried out at the open field of St. Anthony Secondary School, Offa Road, Ilorin, where 250,000 bags were distributed to the state’s residents, drawn from various associations.

The committee later announced that they would continue the distribution of the remaining bags by taking them to the local government areas, wards, and communities across the state.