Borno Governor’s chief steward commits suicide

Tragedy struck in Maiduguri, Borno State, when the Chief Steward of former Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Mr.  John Achagwa, committed suicide at the Presidential Lodge, Government House, Maiduguri less than 24 hours to the exit of his principal and swearing in of the new Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum. sources at the Government House, Maiduguri, were said to have revealed that the late Chief Steward might have committed suicide because of the failure of Governor Shettima to pay him retirement benefit and gratuity before the governor’s exit from office on Tuesday, the day the steward committed suicide.

The Governor’s Chief Steward killed himself by hanging on a Neem tree at the Presidential Lodge of the Government, House. He was said to have greeted his colleagues at the Lodge at about 1.44pm on Tuesday before he went back and climbed a tree behind the Lodge where he hung himself to death.

An associate of Late John Achagwa had acknowledged that the deceased has been complaining about the attitude of his daughter, adding that the late steward has been saying: “This girl will kill me.”

“He came and asked me to delete someone’s number from his phone. I told him I don’t know how to delete it. He left angrily, only for me to hear that he has hanged himself after some few minutes,” the source had said.

It was gathered that Achagwa retired from the civil service about three years ago but was retained by Governor Shettima because of his exceptional delicacies. He was also said to have promised to be appointed as Village Head of Dille, Askira Uba local government area.

Other sources at the Government House were said to have revealed that the Chief Steward may have committed suicide because of non-payment of his retirement benefit and gratuity. He was said to be expecting that he will be paid his gratuity before the exit of Governor Shettima from office but the governor left office on Tuesday without making the payment.