Kebbi teacher suspended after criticising Ramadan palliative

A school teacher in Kebbi State, Abduljalal Usman, has been suspended for three months after criticising a Ramadan palliative distributed by the state government.

 

Usman, a teacher under the Kebbi State government, had shared a video on his Facebook page on Wednesday expressing dissatisfaction with the food items given to teachers as Ramadan support.

 

In the Hausa-language video, he displayed the items and said Governor Nasir Idris provided him with only one mudu each of rice and millet.

 

“As a school teacher, this is what His Excellency has given me in the name of support,” he said in the video.

 

The clip later went viral on social media, with the teacher saying the palliative was insufficient considering the responsibilities of teachers.

 

Two days after posting the video, Usman announced that he had been suspended from duty for three months, a development he believes is connected to his criticism of the government’s gesture.

 

However, a suspension letter issued by the Dandi Local Government Education Authority cited negligence and defaulting on duty as the reason for the disciplinary action.

 

“For negligence and defaulting in duty, the authority is hereby suspending you from duty for a period of three months,” the letter stated.

 

The letter was issued by the Office of the Education Secretary in Dandi Local Government Area and indicated that the suspension would be without salary.

 

Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Kebbi State Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education were unsuccessful, as officials contacted said they were not aware of the development.