Suspended PHC director in Yobe confesses to diverting food for malnourished children

Ibrahim Lawan, Director of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Nangere Local Government area of Yobe State, who was suspended for diverting Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, RUTF, has confessed to committing the crime.

Lawan appealed to the state government to temper justice with mercy, since he is cooperating with ongoing investigations.

The Yobe State PHC Board had suspended Lawal for “diverting and misusing” the food supplements.

Furthermore, Adamu Abba, the board’s spokesman, who announced the suspension on Wednesday in Damaturu, said that a five-member committee had been set up to investigate the matter.

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Lawan confessed during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that he conspired with some staff of the PHC and tempered with the therapeutic food supplements, but the quantity is not as huge as claimed.

He said, “The allegation was that I diverted about 120 cartons. This is not true.

“However, I take responsibility for all that happened since I was the leader at the time.

“Therefore, I am appealing to the state government to temper justice with mercy, because since I have cooperated and made investigation easier for them,” he said.

NAN reports that the PHC board, while announcing Lawan’s indefinite suspension, named Ibrahim Disa as acting director of the PHC in Nangere.

Disa is expected to be on the saddle pending the outcome of the investigation.

Furthermore, The investigation committee was tasked to recommend a strategy for ensuring accountability in the distribution of the supplements and other medical consumables.

The RUTF is a packaged highly nutritious food supplement used in treating severe and acute malnutrition in children.

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