Comedian Sanku’s Death Triggers Dispute Over Loaned Lexus SUV

The death of Nigerian comedian Adetola Samad, popularly known as Sanku, has stirred controversy over an unpaid loaned Lexus SUV linked to his guarantor and a Kwara-based car dealer.

Content creator Folorunsho Olayinka, better known as Finest, revealed during a TikTok livestream that the late comedian died in a 2012 Lexus RX 350 SUV he had acquired on loan from JJ Motors Empire and Services Limited in Ilorin.

According to a receipt dated June 5, 2025, Sanku bought the car for ₦25.4 million but had paid only ₦7 million upfront, with instalments bringing his total payment to ₦12.28 million before his death.

Finest, who stood as Sanku’s guarantor, dismissed speculation linking him to the tragedy.

“I was only a guarantor because the dealer knew me. He still owed about ₦13 million, so what would be my gain in having him killed? I even sent my people to visit him at the hospital and supported their treatment,” Finest said.

However, a close friend of the late comedian, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed Sanku had been pressured to return the Lexus in exchange for a cheaper Toyota Venza, after struggling to complete the payment.

In a WhatsApp voice note shared with reporters, Sanku expressed fear over repeated calls to return the car, adding that his uncle, a policeman in Osogbo, had advised against it, warning he might lose the vehicle without getting the promised replacement.

Just months before his death, on June 6, 2025, Sanku posted photos of the Lexus on his TikTok page, celebrating the purchase with the caption: “Alhamdulillah for life, congratulations Adetola,” while tagging Finest.

Sanku tragically died in a fatal car crash on September 2, 2025, along Ogbomoso Road in Oyo State. His passing was later confirmed by actor Yemi Elesho on social media.

The controversy surrounding the loaned car has since deepened, with questions over the unsettled balance and the circumstances leading up to Sanku’s final days.