package language-pack-en-base 1:16.04+20160627 failed to install/upgrade: unable to securely remove '/var/lib/locales/supported.d/en': Not a directory

[Atif Khan]

error in libc-bin stops update, auto-remove, remove, etc. No packages can be installed

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: language-pack-en-base 1:16.04+20160627
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-116.140-generic 4.4.98
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-116-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.15
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Mar 25 20:24:44 2018
DuplicateSignature:
 package:language-pack-en-base:1:16.04+20160627
 Removing language-pack-en-base (1:16.04+20160627) ...
 dpkg: error processing package language-pack-en-base (--remove):
  unable to securely remove '/var/lib/locales/supported.d/en': Not a directory
ErrorMessage: unable to securely remove '/var/lib/locales/supported.d/en': Not a directory
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-11-12 (863 days ago)
InstallationMedia: /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/unattended-
PackageArchitecture: all
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.4
 apt 1.2.26
SourcePackage: language-pack-en-base
Title: package language-pack-en-base 1:16.04+20160627 failed to install/upgrade: unable to securely remove '/var/lib/locales/supported.d/en': Not a directory
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-04-22 (701 days ago)

[Rolf Leggewie (r0lf)]

do you have a way to reproduce this issue? does it ever occur in focal or later?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for language-pack-en-base (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]