TheCable

Bala Yargaba, chairman of Dutse local government area of Jigawa state, was beaten and held hostage by angry residents on Monday.

The residents accused Yargaba of non-payment of polling unit development fund meant for disbursement and demanded payment of the stipend approved by the state for each of the polling units across the state.

While trying to explain to the crowd the procedure for the disbursement and subsequent payment of the fund, the residents descended on him.

They chanted derogatory ‎remarks at him while some held his flowing gown (Babban riga) and tore it to shreds.

After being manhandled by the mob, he was able to maneuver his way into the local government secretariat.

The angry mob then cordoned off the premises and stopped the council chairman from moving out.

When contacted over the incident, Yargaba alleged that the people were sent by Musa Sule, a member in the state assembly, to humiliate him.

“I don’t have any iota of doubt that the mob were mobilised, instigated ‎and directed to attack me because I have refused to succumb to the pressure of substituting names of beneficiaries of the fund,” he said.

Sule,when contacted, dismissed the accusation as “work of irresponsible people that never meant well for the state”.

“I have been away from the state for some days and on my way someone called and told me that the council chairman had ‎announced in a radio programme that the council will commence the payment of the polling unit development fund today,” he said.

“I don’t have any prior knowledge that people were mobilised to beat-up the chairman.

“I also did not know that they were called upon for whatever reason.”