The Chairman of Katcha Local Government Area in Niger State, Isah Baba Bida, is facing public criticism after a video surfaced showing him ordering a teacher to remove a T-shirt displaying the image of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mohammed Nami.
Incident at Kafa Primary School
The incident took place on Monday morning at Kafa Primary School, where Bida arrived and confronted teacher Yahaya Mohammed Sakiwa over his choice of clothing. Footage from the encounter, which has since circulated widely online, shows the chairman in a suit inside one of the school's visibly rundown classrooms, verbally reprimanding Sakiwa and directing him to take off the shirt bearing Nami's photograph.
Bida, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he had come to the school to gather first-hand information about teachers reportedly wearing T-shirts promoting the PDP candidate in the state. Beyond ordering Sakiwa to remove the garment, he also instructed him to write down his own name alongside the names of absent members of staff.
Dilapidated School Conditions Exposed
The video drew further attention to the state of the school's physical facilities. The classrooms shown in the footage have damaged ceilings, missing windows, and walls in a clear state of deterioration, raising questions about the quality of learning conditions for pupils in that part of Niger State.
Bida also raised concerns during his visit about the number of pupils he found on the school premises when he arrived.
Teacher's Response and Apology
Speaking to Daily Trust, Sakiwa, who works at the school as a casual teacher, said the council chairman subsequently contacted him and members of his family to apologise for his conduct during the visit. Sakiwa also challenged the chairman's account of the school's attendance, saying more than 200 pupils were present that morning, contrary to what Bida appeared to suggest in the video.
