Group calls for probe of alleged diversion of palliatives in Taraba

The ongoing wrangling over the alleged diversion of federal government palliative meant for Taraba State citizens has taken a different dimension.

This was observed on Sunday, when a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, asked the state governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, to as a matter of urgency investigate the alleged diversion of the food items.

The palliative which was meant for the vulnerable spread across the sixteen local government councils of the state, including the two Special Development Areas, was alleged to have been diverted by some government functionaries in the state.

Piqued by the development, the NGO, Taraba Concern Citizens, TCC, in a press briefing in Jalingo, the state capital, urged the state governor to leave no stone unturned in unravelling the mystery behind the disappearance of the palliatives.

The organization’s state coordinator, Timothy Gayus and the secretary, Hamisu Salejo, asked the governor to probe the entire council chairmen who were handed the palliatives for onward distribution.

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“We demand to know why the palliatives meant to be distributed free to the masses have dominated all the major markets in the state without getting to the locals.

The palliatives were given to the state to cushion the present hardship the people are passing through, not to be sold, the people are hungry but the local government council chairmen choose to sell the palliatives.

The people behind the diversion of the palliatives must be exposed and made to face the wrath of the law,” the group demanded.

When reached for comments, the state Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs, Saviour Nokun, said the ministry in collaboration with the state government, will work round the clock to bring the perpetrators to book.

Supporting the commissioner, a top officer of the ministry, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the local government areas were the first to get the allocations, adding that if there were cases of diversion then it should be the leadership of the councils

Because of the widespread outcry over the alleged diversion of the commodities, our source from the ministry admitted that some staff of the ministry visited the Jalingo main market and found the diverted commodities in some stores being sold to buyers.