Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi made an unannounced visit to the state secretariat on Monday and found several offices of top government officials still locked by 11am.
The governor also discovered that many senior civil servants were not at work during the inspection.
A viral video showed Namadi moving through different ministries, where many offices were empty. Only a few messengers and security personnel were seen on duty.
Garba Muhammad, the governor’s special assistant, confirmed the inspection in a statement released on Tuesday. He said the visit was part of Namadi’s wider inspection tour across the state.
According to Muhammad, the stop at the secretariat was 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.”
After leaving Ringim, the governor went to Sankara to inspect the ongoing township road network and the Kanya Babba road projects. He then continued to Kazaure, where he checked the progress of major projects, including hospitals, the 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”.
