Edo admits receiving truck-loads of FG rice 

The Edo state government has said it received some trucks-load of rice from the federal government, noting that the food item was distributed in line with the template set out.

The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Chris Nehikhare, stated this in Benin City on Wednesday.

The rice were part of the federal government’s palliatives to states to cushion economic hardship on Nigerians.

Nehikhare said: “On the issue of federal government giving us rice few months ago, they brought some few truck-loads of rice and they were distributed according to the formula they set.

“They were sent to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, orphanages, local government areas and other people. 

“Edo state government did not touch one of them. They were distributed the way it was designed to be given out,” he added.

The commissioner’s clarification came amid controversies generated after youth broke into a warehouse and looted rice, during the August 1, hunger protest in the state.

Ex-governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, accused the state government of hoarding the federal government’s rice in the looted warehouse in order to blackmail the latter.

The state government and the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), at the time berated Oshiomhole for his comments.