A task force in Bayelsa State has been accused of destroying the food items belonging to a roadside trader during an enforcement exercise at Swali Market in Yenagoa.
The allegation was made by a Facebook user, Kumo George Kumo, who claimed that members of the task force poured away cooked rice and stew being sold by a trader from a wheelbarrow.
According to Kumo, the incident occurred on Wednesday morning, October 7, 2026, during an enforcement operation at the market.
He alleged that the officials targeted the roadside trader and destroyed the food she was selling, leaving her with losses.
The Facebook user questioned the rationale behind the enforcement, particularly where traders allegedly pay authorities to operate in certain areas before their goods are subsequently seized or destroyed.
He asked why traders would be required to make payments to authorities to sell by the roadside if the same officials would later carry out enforcement exercises against them.
The allegation has raised concerns about the treatment of petty traders and other informal businesses that depend on daily sales for their livelihood.
Roadside trading remains a source of income for many low-income residents, although authorities often cite traffic obstruction, sanitation, environmental concerns and the need to regulate commercial activities as reasons for restricting such activities.
However, Kumo’s account raises questions about whether enforcement officers adequately consider the economic consequences of their actions on vulnerable traders.
As of the time of the report, there was no official statement from the Bayelsa State Government or the task force confirming the incident or explaining the circumstances surrounding the alleged destruction of the trader’s food.
The specific identity of the task force involved and whether the trader had been issued any prior warning or sanction were also not immediately clear.
The allegation remains unverified, and further clarification from the relevant authorities would be necessary to establish what transpired at Swali Market.
If confirmed, the incident could renew calls for enforcement agencies to adopt more humane measures when regulating roadside trading, particularly where the destruction of perishable food could result in significant financial losses for small-scale traders.
