The #ENDSARS protests as the name suggests, was aimed at showing displeasure towards alleged police brutality, especially by the Special Anti Robbery Squad SARS.
The protests began peacefully with the support of many and was beginning to achieve results until it was hijacked by looters, vandals and other criminals who wreaked havoc on the public and private property leading to more mayhem.
Kogi state had its fair share of this mayhem as miscreants hijacked the process to create all kinds of trouble, including the disruption of the distribution of palliatives meant for victims of recent flooding in parts of the state.
Roofing sheets, food, and household items, provided by the federal government through the ministry of humanitarian services were carted away by the looters.
It did not end there as groups of hoodlums broke into the state Agricultural development project (ADP) storehouse to loot and destroy farming items worth billions of naira.
The state central medical store in Lokoja was not spared either as medical items and other valuables worth billions of naira were carted away or needlessly destroyed
Governor Yahaya Bello obviously distraught by the looting and destruction set up a nine committee of inquiry into the cause of the mayhem and to ascertain the level of destruction.
The committee on the 2nd of November embarked on a fact-finding tour of all the affected facilities
The State Commissioner for Finance and the chairman of the committee of inquiry, Asiwaju Idris said it is taking its time to ensure a thorough job is done and its findings will be released soon
The Coordinator of the kogi state World bank Appeal project, Sanni Abdullahi Ozomata described the development as a sad one which will have far-reaching effects, especially for this year’s farming season.
The ADP Managing Director, George Ogirima explained how the looting and destruction will create some setbacks in what it is trying to do, creating a modern farming system to encourage young men and women.
While the state and other interested parties await the report of its fact-finding panel of inquiry, one thing remains certain, it will require colossal sums of money and a lot of thinking and strategizing to restore what was lost to this needless spree of wanton looting and vandalism.
