Niger council begins probe of diversion of palliatives packages
By Patrick Okohue
Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State has begun investigation into the alleged disappearance of some foodstuffs designed as palliatives to the Limawa community in Minna.
The local government security committee has been assigned the task of unraveling how some of the foodstuffs disappeared after being presented at the headquarters of Limawa ward.
Part of the assignment of the security committee is also to find out under what law a member of the task force operated to dish out part of the palliatives to members of the distribution committee.
It was gathered that apart from one bag of rice given out to each of the nine-member distribution committee, not less than 13 bags of rice, 14 bags of millet and 15 bags of maize in addition to several cartons of spaghetti disappeared from the bulk initially brought to the ward for distribution.
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It was gathered that the bubble burst when the vice-chairman of the local government who incidentally is a member of the Limawa discovered some of the items in the market displayed for sale.
The vice-chairman raised the alarm to the chairman of the local government, who apart from asking for the issue to be investigated reported the matter to both Governor Abubakar Bello and the state chairman of the Covid-19 Task force because it was alleged that a member of the task force was involved in the illegality.
The state government had given bags of foodstuffs to the Limawa ward in Chanchaga Local Government Area following the discovery of a coronavirus positive case in the area.
As a result, the government isolated the almost 500-man strong community and also gave the area special preference in the distribution of palliatives.
When contacted, the chairman of the local government, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Bosso, confirmed the story and the setting up of a committee to investigate the matter. Bosso said the committee will submit its report on Wednesday.
