Press Statement
Abuja, 29 July 2026
Following a thorough review of the judgment of Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) on July 2, 2026, in which the suit instituted by a whistleblower, Yisa Usman, against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was dismissed,the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), has reiterated its dismay at the judgment and drawn attention to the wider public interest issues arising from the case.
In a press statement, AFRICMIL said: “Although the whistleblower has indicated his intention to challenge the judgment through the appellate process, the biggest concerns for us in this matter are the protection of whistleblowers, adherence to due process in disciplinary proceedings, disability rights, labour justice, and institutional accountability.”
AFRICMIL, which has been in the forefront of whistleblowing and whistleblower protection advocacy in Nigeria since 2017, said it respects the independence of the judiciary and trusts that the appellate process would provide further clarity on the important legal issues raised. Usman, a person living with disability, had served for over two decades in public financial management, procurement and administration. He was a Deputy Director at JAMB at the time of his dismissal in July 2023 for exposing a series of financial, procurement and governance irregularities in the institution.
“Notwithstanding the setback at the trial court,” AFRICMIL stated, “this case has assumed wider national significance because it is obvious the whistleblower’s dismissal occurred against the background of extensive public-interest disclosures. We look forward to the higher court affirming this position in due course. Meantime, the issues raised extend beyond the interests of the parties and have important implications for whistleblower protection, public service administration and confidence in accountability institutions.”
AFRICMIL noted Usman’s sterling profile as a public interest whistleblower, recalling that his whistleblowing efforts attracted international recognition with his emergence as the Global First Runner-up for the 2026 Ellsberg Whistleblower Award which held in Germany, an achievement which the organisation said had received a formal acknowledgement of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria. “While such recognition does not determine the merits of the employment dispute, it underscores the public significance of the issues raised and reinforces the need for effective protection of individuals who make lawful disclosures in the public interest.”
The organization said even though Nigeria had repeatedly encouraged citizens and public officers to report corruption, abuse of office and other violations of public trust, the policy objectives would only succeed where individuals who make truthful disclosures in the public interest are confident that they would be treated fairly and protected from retaliation. It noted that Usman is presently involved in another pending legal matter arising from his public interest disclosure.
“While that matter is before the court and we express no view on its merit, its existence reinforces our concern that persons who make disclosures on issues of public accountability may become involved in multiple legal proceedings connected with those disclosures,” AFRICMIL said.
In the drive to achieve accountable and transparent public sector governance, the organization identified key issues that should be of high priority to the public. These include protection of whistleblowers, nature of public service employment, application of public service rules, compliance with due process, independence and fairness of disciplinary proceedings, and rights of persons with disabilities.
AFRICMIL holds the view that the court failed to sufficiently address these issues in arriving at its judgment. “For instance, we note, in particular, that not enough consideration was givenby the judge to the protections available to this whistleblower under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018. This raises broader concerns regarding equal access to justice and the treatment of persons with disabilities within public institutions.”
According to the statement, AFRICMIL believes that the fight against corruption cannot succeed without robust protection for whistleblowers, adding that public officers should be encouraged, not discouraged, to make lawful disclosures concerning matters affecting the public interest. At the same time, it continued, public institutions should retain the responsibility to enforce discipline in accordance with the law. The organization said since these objectives are complementary,disciplinary proceedings should be conducted transparently, impartially and in strict compliance with applicable statutory provisions and the Public Service Rules, while respecting the constitutional right to fair hearing.
“We hold firmly to our position that the legal questions raised in this whistleblowing case, including the nature of public service employment, the application of the Public Service Rules and the procedural safeguards available to public servants, are issues whose clarification will benefit public administration well beyond the present dispute,” AFRICMIL stated.
Accordingly, the organisation calls on:
AFRICMIL said the matter of Yisa Usman Vs JAMB presentedan important opportunity for national reflection on the protection of public interest whistleblowers, the integrity of disciplinary processes and the strengthening of labour justice in Nigeria.
“Regardless of the eventual outcome of the appellate process, the issues raised should encourage reforms that reinforce transparency, accountability, procedural fairness and public confidence in Nigeria’s institutions. A nation that calls upon its citizens to expose wrongdoing must equally ensure that those who make lawful disclosures are treated fairly, that disciplinary processes comply with the governing legal framework, and that the rule of law remains the foundation of public administration,” the statement concluded.
Godwin Onyeacholem
Programme Manager
AFRICMIL
