POLICE DEPLOYED AS TENSION RISES OVER FOOD SCHEME IN OSOGBO
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By: Fasasi Hammad
There was tension in Osogbo, Osun State, on Monday following the reported disappearance of operators of a cheap food scheme known as Global Food Initiative, leaving residents who had deposited money for discounted food items worried about their funds.
Our correspondent, who observed the situation, reported that several residents who had paid for food items under the initiative gathered around the organisation’s office in Odi-Olowo, Osogbo, waiting for the operators to open for business.
A resident identified simply as Mistura told the media that she deposited N300,000 into the scheme last Wednesday to purchase 11 bags of rice at N27,000 per bag.
She said participants were usually expected to receive their items one week after payment, adding that the 11 bags of rice would have cost N605,000 at the prevailing market price of N55,000 per bag.
Another investor, Olamide, said she paid N1.2m for various food items she intended to use for her stepdaughter’s upcoming wedding ceremony.
Olamide said she made the payment last Monday through a designated account bearing the name Global Food Initiative and domiciled in an online microfinance bank.
“I got here this morning and met a crowd waiting to be attended to. But the operators were nowhere to be found. I was warned, but I never thought they would run away this early. The items I paid for were to be used for the wedding ceremony of my stepdaughter.
“Before I paid the last sum of N1.2m into the scheme last Monday, I had earlier collected two gallons of five litres of groundnut oil from the operators. I paid N30,000 for each. But it costs far more in the market. I am in a serious mess here,” she said.
Another investor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the scheme began operations more than three weeks ago, with the operators telling investors that it would run for six months.
She said panic followed a warning reportedly issued by a presenter on a private radio station in Osogbo on Sunday, advising residents against the scheme.
According to her, the operators reportedly arrived at their office on Monday but fled after seeing the large crowd that had gathered to collect their food items.
“The operators actually reported here (their office) on Monday, but when they saw the agitated crowd, they ran away. A radio presenter on a private radio station in Osogbo on Sunday caused panic when he warned the residents against the scheme.
“The agitated crowd that stormed this place early today (Monday) forced the operators to run away. A woman deposited N35m for various food items, another man showed us a receipt of N10m. Some hoodlums had attempted to break into the storeroom of the operators, but police personnel were deployed to stop them. We are still waiting for the operators to come back and resume operations,” she said.
When contacted, the Osun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said officers had been deployed to the location to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Ojelabi said no formal complaint had been received from the affected residents but noted that the police had begun monitoring the situation.
“There has not been any report by those affected, but to avoid a breakdown of law and order, police officers have moved to the scene.
“It was there that we began to identify that a company identified as Global Food Initiative has been collecting people’s money, promising to subsidise food items while they pay in advance. We are still waiting for somebody to come and give us detailed information about the issue. We are monitoring the situation,” he said.
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