Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Traders at the UTC market, Area 10, Garki , Abuja and residents of the area are currently cowering in fear as security operatives battled hoodlums attempting to loot a warehouse in the vicinity .
Policemen and other security personnel are firing gunshots and tear gas to deter hoodlums who stormed a warehouse with COVID -19 palliatives early this morning.
The warehouse is located in the precinct of the Cyprian Ekwensi building and the UTC market.
A graphics designer , Segun Stickers, said the UTC market and the big shopping plaza in the area had been shut down.
“ We are presently locked inside the UTC market. The police are firing gunshots and tear gas to stave off the attack by the hoodlums who were trying to loot the COVID -19 palliatives kept in a warehouse here .
“ Many people were injured while trying to escape attack by the hoodlums and the whole area is in turmoil , ” he said on the phone .
Our correspondent could hear gunshots just as a voice was heard ordering the traders to shut down their shops and go home.
The Federal Capital Territory police spokesperson, ASP Mariam Yusuf , confirmed that the police were deployed at the UTC market and other public infrastructure to prevent suspected hoodlums from looting .
It was learnt that a similar situation is presently happening in Bukuru , Jos South , Plateau State , where residents are carting away COVID -19 palliatives.
An eyewitness explained that hundreds of Bukuru residents are currently at the warehouse located at Old NITEL beside Total filling station taking away foodstuffs , including bags of rice and millet stored by the state government .
A similar incident had occurred in Lagos , Osun , Cross River and other states .
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