Gov Shettima's Chief Steward Commits Suicide In Government House
The Chief Steward to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state,, Mr. John Achagwa has committeed suicide at the Presidebtndial Lodge of Government House Maiduguri Tuesday, just about 24 hours to the May 29 , 2019 Inuaguration and handing over ceremony of power from Governor kashim Shettima to Professor Babagana Umara Zulum as new Governor of the state.
The Chief Steward who killed himslf by hanging on a Neem tree at the Presidential Lodge of the Goverment House around 2.30 pm was said to have greeted his colleagues at the lodge at about 1. 44 pm before he went behind the building and climbed a neem tree behind the lodge and hanged himself.
A close associate of the Late John Achagwa said the deceased has been complaining about the attitude of his daughter, adding that, the late Steward has been saying, " this girl will killed me."
He said: " he even came and asked me to delete someone's phone 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 few minutes."
Mr Achagwa who retired from the civil service about three years ago was retained by Governor kashim Shettima due to exceptional delicacies.
He was also said to have been promised to be appointed as a Village Head of Dille village in Askira/Uba local government area of Borno State by the governor.
Other sources at the Government House were of the opinion that the suicide may not be unconnected with the non payment of his retirement benefit and gratituity as he has been expecting that he will receive his pension and gratituity before the end of Governor kashim Shettima's second tenure in office.
When our correspondent visited the scene at the Government House Maiduguri, people were seen trooping the Presidential Lodge to have glance of the corpse where security operatives and that of the Fire service were seen trying to bring down the corpse from the tree top using ladder at about 2:37 pm.
The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu later briefed the press at about 5:00pm at the Governennt House on the incident saying, " actually, nobody can tell or say exactly what happened or caused the deceased to hang himself at his work place during working hours for now".
"But the corpse has been removed and deposited at the General Hospital Maiduguri for orthopsy and further investigation by the CID department on why he killed himself from his family to ascertain whether the deceased had family issue with anybody at home", Mohammed said.
Meanwhile, there have been reactions from staff and Government House Security. Some think that he is comfortanle because governennt gave him a car and house at his retirement and he still collects monthly salary.