A tense situation unfolded in the Odi-Olowo area of Osogbo on Tuesday when angry residents broke into a warehouse operated by the Global Food Initiative, following reports that the organization’s operators had allegedly vanished after collecting substantial advance payments for discounted food items.
According to our Osogbo correspondent, Kehinde Sarumi, the incident was triggered by mounting frustration among customers who had previously paid for goods, including staples like rice and cooking oil, at prices significantly lower than market rates. Many residents who had gathered outside the organization’s office were left stranded when the operators failed to open for business, leading to chaos as they forcibly entered the warehouse.
One of the affected individuals, Mistura, shared her experience, stating that she had paid N300,000 for 11 bags of rice at N27,000 each. According to her, customers were typically promised delivery of their goods within one week.
Another customer revealed that she had deposited N1.2 million for various food items intended for her stepdaughter’s upcoming wedding. “I got here this morning and found a crowd waiting to be served, but the operators were nowhere to be found. I was warned, but I never thought they would run away this early,” she lamented.
The unrest at the warehouse was not an isolated incident, as tensions had already escalated on Monday when customers began to voice their grievances over the absence of the operators. Despite police presence and heavy rain, the situation remained volatile as residents seized the opportunity to salvage what they could from the warehouse.
As the community grapples with the fallout from this unfortunate incident, many are left questioning the integrity of such food schemes and the protections available to consumers.
