Ibrahim Lawan, director of Primary Health Care in Nangere local government of Yobe, is suspended for diverting Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and has confessed to committing theft.

The Yobe PHC board suspended Mr Lawal for “diverting and misusing” food supplements.

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

Mr Lawan, while reacting to the allegations in an interview, said that he and some staffers of the PHC “actually tampered” with the therapeutic food supplements.

The embattled PHC official said, “Actually, I and some of my staffers have tampered with some of the therapeutic food supplements, but the quantity is not as much as they are alleging. 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. I am appealing to the state government to temper justice with mercy since I have cooperated and made investigation easier for them.”

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

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

The investigation committee is also expected to recommend a strategy for ensuring accountability in distributing supplements and other medical consumables.

RUTF is a highly nutritious food supplement for treating severe and acute malnourished children.

(NAN)