* Nasir Idris,
Governor of Kebbi
The Pathfinder
Friday September 12, 2025
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Nasir Idris, governor of Kebbi, has suspended Yunusa Musa-Ismail, the state’s commissioner for health, over alleged negligence of duty.
Yahaya Sarki, special adviser to the governor on media and publicity, announced the suspension in a statement on Thursday.
Sarki added that the commissioner had been asked to provide cogent reasons why disciplinary measures should not be taken against him over alleged negligence of duty and disregard for his mandate.
“By this directive, the commissioner is hereby suspended from office until further notice,” the statement reads.
Sarki said the governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to accountability, discipline, and effective service delivery across all sectors.
He added that Idris also stressed that public officers must justify the confidence reposed in them.
The suspension comes against the backdrop of growing criticism of Kebbi’s healthcare system after a journalist, Hassan Mai-Waya Kangiwa, published a viral video that showed patients at Kangiwa General Hospital lying on bare metal beds without mattresses.
The journalist also released a video of a flooded hospital in the state, which has since gone viral.
The video, which sparked public outrage, renewed concerns over the state of healthcare facilities in Kebbi and intensified pressure on the government to address long-standing challenges in the sector.
The journalist was reportedly arrested and detained after publishing the video.
Meanwhile, it has been alleged that Governor Nasir Idris ordered the arrest of journalist Hassan Mai-Waya Kangiwa, who released the viral video exposing deplorable conditions at the Kangiwa General Hospital.
The footage, which circulated widely on social media, showed an elderly patient lying on a bare metal bed frame without a mattress, an image that ignited public condemnation and renewed scrutiny of Kebbi’s healthcare infrastructure.
Rather than addressing the systemic neglect highlighted in the video, the state government responded by detaining Kangiwa late Sunday night. Eyewitnesses report that security operatives stormed his residence in Kangiwa town, confiscating his phones and work equipment while his family watched helplessly.
Civil society groups, opposition figures, and media watchdogs have condemned the arrest, which they regarded as a blatant attack on press freedom.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Youth Leader aspirant, Daure David, described the detention as “an assault on accountability and transparency,” demanding Kangiwa’s immediate release.
Pro-democracy group PDP Northern Minorities Consultative Forum also weighed in, calling the arrest “sheer tyranny.”
Jessy Mallums, a spokesman, accused Governor Idris of suppressing free speech, stating, “A fake comrade who detains journalists for exposing government failures should not be tolerated.”
The hashtag #FreeHassanKangiwaNow has since trended across platforms, with Nigerians reposting the video and demanding justice.
As of press time, the Kebbi State Government and police authorities have yet to issue an official statement or disclose the charges against Kangiwa.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch warned that the arrest has sent a chilling message to journalists nationwide and undermines citizens’ right to know.
Media Rights Agenda (MRA) called on international human rights bodies to monitor the situation closely and hold the government accountable for violations of press freedom.
This incident raises urgent questions about governance, transparency, and the treatment of whistleblowers in Nigeria’s democratic landscape.
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