Relief material distribution turns chaotic in Niger as beneficiaries loot items
A relief materials distribution programme organized by Hon. Adamu Tanko, lawmaker representing Suleja/Tafa, Constituency in Niger State descended into chaos when a crowd of people allegedly resorted to looting of items.
The incident occurred on Sunday when a crowd of people rushed to collect foodstuffs and other items, leading to a stampede.
the items were gathered in the Suleja local government stadium and beneficiaries were expected to come and collect their shares.
However, it was said that instead of forming lines in an orderly manner to collect their shares, beneficiaries resorted to rushing to the venue and looting them.
The programme turned into a chaotic situation and efforts by security officers to retrieve the relief materials from them failed as many ran away with the materials.
Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun in a statement said some members of the public attempted to disrupt the empowerment programme organized by the lawmaker.
According to him, “On 31/8/2025 at about 4pm, during an empowerment programme of Hon. Adamu Tanko representing Suleja/Tafa which took place at Suleja Stadium, some members of the crowd attempted to disrupt the exercise, and began to pick some of the food items away.”
The PRO explained that police operatives and other security personnel deployed at the programme controlled the situation.
Abiodun disclosed that the security personnel retrieved the items and normalcy was restored without any hitch.
