Tragedy struck in Adamawa State as a long-serving civil servant, John Wickliffe, passed away under troubling circumstances just days after he was abruptly demoted and issued an eviction notice.
Wickliffe, aged 48, had worked with the Gombi Local Government for over two decades. However, his years of service came to a shocking end when he was downgraded from his role as a Grade Level 6 Housekeeper to a Level 2 cleaner, allegedly without any prior notice or disciplinary action.
Sources report that Wickliffe collapsed and died last Friday, only days after receiving the transfer letter that came as a major blow to both his career and mental well-being.
His grieving wife, Mrs. Namanfa John, revealed in an interview that although the letter was dated February 25, 2025, it was handed to her husband much later.
“For 22 years, he served without confirmation or promotion,” she said in tears. “Suddenly, they issued a letter demoting him to a cleaner without a query or explanation. He couldn’t take the shock.”
She believes the humiliation and stress from the abrupt downgrade, combined with the pressure of an immediate eviction from their official residence, were too much for him to bear. Wickliffe held a diploma in Hotel and Catering, making the demotion particularly painful.
Mrs. John also disclosed that the order to vacate their government quarters came from a Zonal Inspector named Mukhtar, under the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. The directive, she said, was signed by Lydia Michael, the Acting Director of Local Government.
“He was stagnated in one position for 22 years, then discarded like he never mattered. This kind of humiliation killed him,” she lamented.
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The widow suspects that her husband’s sudden removal was orchestrated to create space for new appointments following Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s recent authorization to recruit 4,000 new civil servants.
“I strongly believe someone paid to take his place. My husband was sacrificed,” she said, calling on the governor to investigate what she described as a clear case of injustice.
Responding to the incident, Lydia Michael defended the ministry’s decision, saying Wickliffe was employed as a “daily-rated” staff member and not a permanent civil servant, suggesting his reassignment was within the ministry’s administrative discretion.
“It was a routine management decision based on his employment status,” she said.
For Mrs. John, however, the matter goes far beyond bureaucracy. She urged the state government to intervene and ensure justice is served.
“My husband may be gone, but he deserves dignity, even in death,” she said.
