Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Zamfara State Government has approved the immediate suspension of Dr. Sirajo Abdullahi Shinkafi as Rector of Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata Mafara, following allegations of "gross administrative misconduct and insubordination". The announcement was made in a public statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Malam Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada, and released on Monday, 15 June 2026.
According to the statement, the decision was taken by Governor Dauda Lawal after a review of the Rector's conduct and management of the institution. "His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, has approved the immediate suspension of Dr. Sirajo Abdullahi Shinkafi as Rector of Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata Mafara, due to gross administrative misconduct and insubordination," the SSG's statement read. The government did not disclose specific details of the allegations but noted that the action followed concerns over the Rector's conduct in office.
The SSG moved quickly to reassure students, staff, and the general public that academic and administrative activities would not be disrupted. "The Government assures the Polytechnic community and the general public that measures have been put in place to ensure the uninterrupted administration of the institution," he said. Although the announcement did not name an acting rector, it is widely expected that the Deputy Rector will assume duties in an interim capacity pending further directives from the Ministry of Higher Education.
The suspension comes amid ongoing efforts by the Lawal administration to sanitise the management of state‑owned institutions. Abdu Gusau Polytechnic is one of Zamfara's largest tertiary institutions, enrolling thousands of students in National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from Dr Shinkafi were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. It is worth noting that the suspended Rector had previously been vocal about the institution's challenges. In January 2024, he appealed to Governor Lawal to rescue the polytechnic from years of neglect, lamenting the dilapidated state of facilities, a critical shortage of qualified staff, and the deaths of 21 personnel, including the former Registrar. "The institution has suffered years of neglect from successive governments despite the fact that the institution has produced three governors, engineers, politicians and business icons," he had said.
As of this publication, no further details have been released, and the government has not announced whether any investigation will follow. For the thousands of students currently enrolled at the polytechnic, the focus now shifts to how smoothly the institution navigates the leadership vacuum left by Dr Shinkafi's sudden removal.
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