Umar Namadi, governor of Jigawa state, carried out a surprise inspection of the state secretariat on Monday.
He discovered that several offices of top government officials were still locked at 11am, with many senior civil servants absent during the period.
In a viral video, the governor was seen scurrying between ministries, finding many offices deserted, with only a sprinkling of messengers and security personnel at their posts.
Garba Muhammad, special assistant to the governor, confirmed the inspection in a statement issued on Tuesday, describing it as part of Namadi’s broader statewide oversight activities.
According to Muhammad, the visit to the secretariat formed part of the governor’s “comprehensive statewide tour that combined administrative oversight, humanitarian engagements, and infrastructure inspection, reinforcing his hands-on approach to governance”.
“The day’s activities commenced with an unannounced visit to the Jigawa State Secretariat Complex in Dutse, where the Governor monitored staff attendance, punctuality, and workplace productivity,” the statement reads.
“The exercise reflects his administration’s continued drive to promote discipline, accountability, and an efficient public service.
“The Governor subsequently travelled to Ringim Local Government Area to commiserate with families affected by the devastating boat accident at Malamawar ‘Yan Dutse community.
“He participated in the funeral prayers for the victims whose bodies had been recovered, while search operations continued for those still missing.
“Governor Namadi also paid a condolence visit to the Emir of Ringim, praying for Allah’s mercy upon the deceased and strength for the bereaved families.”
From Ringim, Namadi visited Sankara to inspect the ongoing township road network and Kanya Babba road projects before proceeding to Kazaure, where he assessed progress on key infrastructure projects, including hospitals, Jigawa State Research Institute and the Jigawa State Polytechnic for Communication and Information Technology.
Muhammad said the tour “demonstrated Governor Namadi’s commitment to maintaining close supervision of government programmes, improving public service delivery, and accelerating the implementation of developmental projects that advance the vision of a Greater Jigawa”.
