The Kebbi State Government has dismissed allegations of inadequate distribution of Ramadan palliatives in Dandi Local Government Area, describing a viral video circulating on social media as a “stage-managed drama” allegedly orchestrated by political opponents.
The video showed a man, Abduljalal Usman, claiming he received only one mudu (plate) of rice and one mudu of maize as his share of palliatives distributed to staff of the Dandi Local Government Education Authority.
The state government, however, said the claim was false and misleading.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to Governor Nasir Idris, Abdullahi Idris, said investigations revealed the man featured in the video is a psychiatric patient who had been manipulated for political purposes.
“The individual in the video is a known psychiatric patient who was manipulated by desperate politicians to discredit the widely applauded Ramadan palliative initiative of the governor,” Idris said.
He added that the claim was inconsistent with the actual composition of the palliatives procured by the state government. “The grains procured by the state government for distribution were rice and millet. There was no maize in the consignment as claimed in the viral video,” he said.
According to the adviser, at the time the video was recorded, the palliative allocation for Dandi Local Government Area had not yet arrived at the council headquarters.
He maintained that the administration’s intervention programme had been widely welcomed by beneficiaries across the state, particularly as Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan.
“The distribution of grains by the governor has been widely applauded by the people. It is therefore not surprising that such support has unsettled the opposition ahead of the 2027 political season,” Idris said.
The adviser further alleged that the viral video forms part of a broader campaign aimed at tarnishing the image of the administration, citing previous attempts including what he described as a “stage-managed thuggery attack” in Birnin Kebbi and exaggerated reports of bandit attacks in Tadurga.
“No amount of blackmail, fabrication of falsehood, or mischievous propaganda will change the people’s confidence in Governor Idris and his demonstrated commitment to peace and socio-economic development of Kebbi State,” he added.
The Kebbi State Government recently launched the Ramadan palliative programme to cushion the impact of rising food prices on residents during the fasting period. Meanwhile, the suspension of Usman by the Dandi Local Government Authority has been lifted pending the conclusion of an investigation.