NULGE National President, Ibrahim Khaleel dies

The Chairman of the ongoing probe panel instituted by the Federal Government to probe the top management of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel is dead.

Popularly called Mr Autonomy for his efforts in leading the struggle and campaign for local government autonomy in the country, Comrade Khaleel died on Wednesday evening in an Abuja based hospital, after a light walk-out at a popular hotel in Area 11, Abuja, where he lodged.

Ibrahim Khaleel, the Treasurer of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was part of the programme- A symposium on World Day for Decent Work- organised by the NLC to mark the World Decent Work Day at the Labour House, Abuja on Wednesday, where he was bubbling with life and gave appointment to some media men for Thursday at the Labour House.

Tribune Online gathered that after returning to his hotel after the meeting, the Labour leader went to the badminton court to play, and feeling hungry, sent his driver to buy food for him.

After a very short game, he sat and waited for the food but on his return with the food, his driver was speaking to him but noticed that his response was not satisfactory. At that point, he collapsed and was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

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His remains are expected to leave Abuja on Thursday morning for Wudil, in Wudil Local Government, Kano where he would be buried Thursday afternoon according to an Islamic rite.

Comrade Khaleel, head of Audit Committee of the Board of NSITF, was appointed by the Federal Government as the Chairman of the NSITF Probe Panel, to probe alleged infractions by the top management of the fund.

The Panel was given two weeks to do the job and submits its report, but Khaleel led the panel members to seek further extension of time in order to do a thorough job and ensure that nobody was unjustifiably punished.

Comrade Khaleel was a graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he studied Accountancy. He also obtained an MBA from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. The NULGE National President attended a Senior Executive Course of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) from where he bagged Member of the National Institute (mni). Until his death, he was a staff of Kano State Ministry of Local Government.

When contacted, the National President of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Comrade Marwan Mustapha, who was Khaleel close friend was only crying.

He simply described him, as a man of peace, God-fearing and a patriotic man to any course he believed in.

The NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and the Secretary-General of the congress, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja could not pick their calls when Tribune Online put calls across to them to seek their reactions.