He said the thugs opened the gate of the building with the thought that they could find palliatives and destroyed office equipment.
The Nigerian Red Cross Society has confirmed an attack on its office located in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, by unknown persons, who vandalised furniture and other equipment.
The Secretary General, Abubakar Kende, confirmed this on Monday and admitted that the organisation do take delivery of relief materials and distribute to the most vulnerable in the society on a need basis.
He said the thugs opened the gate of the building with the thought that they could find palliatives and destroyed office equipment.
He condemned the action of the miscreants, adding that the Nigerian Red Cross was set up in 1960 to alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found.
He said, "The office of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in Calabar, Cross River State, was broken into by unknown persons on October 24 and furniture and office equipment were vandalised.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that following several lootings of warehouses in Calabar in which palliatives were found, a crowd insisted that the gates of the Nigerian Red Cross office in Calabar be thrown open as they suspected that COVID-19 palliatives were being hoarded.
"The Cross River State branch secretary reported that the policemen and security guards on duty prevented a break in, however, the crowd returned and overpowered the policemen, gained access and vandalised all the furniture and took away non-food items found in building.
"The Nigeran Red Cross Society wishes to state that while it is true that the Nigerian Red Cross does take delivery of relief materials, we systematically distribute these items to the most vulnerable in the society on a strictly needs basis.
" The action of the unknown persons is condemnable as the Nigerian Red Cross was set up in 1960 to alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found."