A public school teacher in Kebbi State, Abduljalal Usman, has reportedly been suspended from duty for three months without salary after openly criticising a Ramadan palliative package distributed by the state government.
Usman, who is employed by the state’s education system, had taken to his Facebook page on Wednesday to express dissatisfaction with the relief items allocated to him under the government’s Ramadan support programme for workers.
In a video message recorded in Hausa and shared on the platform, the teacher displayed the food items he received and questioned the adequacy of the gesture. According to him, the support package provided by the state government consisted of just one mudu—a local bowl measurement—each of rice and millet.
While speaking in the video, Usman said the quantity of food was too small to meaningfully support teachers during the fasting period.
“As a school teacher, this is what His Excellency has given me in the name of support,” he said, showing the items to viewers.
The video quickly spread across social media platforms, generating reactions from many Nigerians who debated the quality and adequacy of welfare support given to public school teachers.
Usman also stressed in the video that the palliative did not reflect the level of work and responsibility carried by teachers in the state.
However, just two days after the video circulated widely online, the teacher announced that he had been suspended from his job for a period of three months. He claimed the disciplinary action was linked to his public criticism of the government’s Ramadan palliative distribution.
A suspension letter later issued to him by the Dandi Local Government Education Authority stated that the action was taken due to alleged negligence and failure to properly carry out his duties.
The letter, which was signed by the Office of the Education Secretary in Dandi Local Government Area, read in part: “For negligence and defaulting in duty, the authority is hereby suspending you from duty for a period of three months.”
Despite the claim in the letter, Usman maintained that the suspension was a direct consequence of his video criticism of the Ramadan support package.
Meanwhile, attempts by journalists to obtain an official reaction from the Kebbi State Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education were unsuccessful. Officials within the ministry reportedly said they were not aware of the suspension when contacted.
The incident has since sparked widespread discussion online, with many social media users raising concerns about freedom of expression for public servants and the treatment of teachers who publicly question government policies.
Others have also used the development to highlight broader issues surrounding the welfare of teachers and the adequacy of support programmes for public sector workers during religious periods such as Ramadan.
