In an alarming incident during this year’s Sallah celebration, Hon Danlamin Abdullahi Saku, the Chairman of Katcha Local Government Area in Niger State, was reportedly beaten to a coma over an unpaid debt of ₦1.3 million. The debt had been outstanding for over a year, borrowed from an elderly resident of his village.
According to The Nation, the incident occurred when Chairman Saku returned to his village for the Sallah festivities. The creditor, unable to secure repayment despite repeated requests, sent his children to approach Saku for the overdue amount. Instead of addressing the issue, Saku allegedly responded by slapping one of the creditor’s sons and arrogantly questioning their awareness of his position as Chairman, further threatening to deal with them.
This provoked the young boys and their friends, who retaliated by physically assaulting Saku until he lost consciousness. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital for medical attention. While in the hospital, Saku reportedly managed to pay part of the debt, leaving a balance of ₦10,000.
Efforts to reach Chairman Saku for his comments were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered and text messages received no response. This incident highlights the severe consequences of neglecting financial obligations and underscores the tension between public officials and their communities over issues of accountability and respect.