Councillor disappears with 30 bags of rice, beans and millet meant for COVID-19 relief

A councillor in the Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State has allegedly disappeared with 30 bags of palliative grains meant to alleviate the sufferings of the people of his constituency occasioned by COVID-19 lockdown, The Punch reports.

The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ibrahim Matane, who confirmed the incident, said the councillor was part of a committee set up for the distribution of the grains to his area.

Matane, who is also the Chairman of the Niger State Task Force on COVID-19, said 10 bags each of rice, maize and millet were allocated to the 274 wards across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state by the government.

“Committees have been set up in each of the 274 wards in the state, which comprises of  councillor, party chairman, ward leader, and a religious leader to monitor the distribution of the grains.”

The chairman of the State Task Force on COVID-19, who was disappointed over the attitude of the councillor, said security agents had been ordered to get him arrested for prosecution.