A recent development has indicated that the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Yobe state has been sent to prison for allegedly diverting palliatives. Comrade Muktar Tarbutu was remanded in prison on Wednesday, March 27, by a court in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, on charges of diverting palliatives given to him by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for distribution. The NEDC had given the palliatives to the NLC to share among some selected unions, but the chairman allegedly failed to do so. The secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yobe state, Barrister Mohammad Ngumurumi, revealed that the NLC chair had received 25kg of 150 bags of rice, 150 bags of sugar, 150 cartons of spaghetti, 150 rappers for women, and 150 textiles for men as well as 150 blankets to distribute to members of the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). However, he did not share these items with NUJ and NBA, which led to the NBA filing a case to the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), and he was arraigned on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The accused has been sent to prison till April 18, 2024, when the principal hearing will be held.
