Police Gives Report On Looting At Next Cash And Carry Fire Incident

Contrary to impressions created by videos on social media, the Police have said there was no successful looting at Next Cash & Carry Supermarket.

Trixx NG had reported that Next Cash and Carry Supermarket was gutted by fire on Sunday with goods worth billions of Naira destroyed.

Video making the rounds on social media revealed how unidentified individuals were seen conveying different goods from the store when the inferno was yet to be put off.

In a statement forwarded to DAILY POST by the FCT Police spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh, the command explained that those captured in the video were only rendering assistance by evacuating the goods and other valuables to a safer place.

The PPRO noted that there was no successful case of looting or carting away of goods from the store, adding that three suspects including one Ali Audu aged 18 Years, Yahaya Yunusa aged 20 Years and Sahabi Abubakar aged 20 Years who made attempt to steal some items were arrested.

She said the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Sunday Babaji had visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, stating that investigation is currently ongoing to unearth the cause of the incident.

According to her, when the command received the information, “a team of Police officers attached to Mabushi Police Divisional Headquarters responded swiftly to the scene where a concerted effort of the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, Julius Berger Fire Service and members of other security agencies were deployed to manage the situation, minimize damage, extinguish the inferno and ensure the maintenance of law and order. ”

“Well-meaning members of the surrounding communities came out en masse and helped in evacuating goods and other valuables from the supermarket to a safe location within the area with the supervision of Police Officers of the Command who were on ground”.