Man arrested for attempting suicide over N50,000

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), attached to Anti-Vandal Team, Ogun State command, have arrested a middle aged man for allegedly attempting to commit suicide.

It was gathered that the suspect attempted to end his own life over his inability to refund a N50,000 loan.

It was also gathered that he was trying to hang himself in a bush along Ayetoro road, Abeokuta, when the team ran into him.

The father of five later told newsmen that he worked with Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) in Ogun but was sacked and that his inability to perform his responsibility as the head of his family led him to attempt suicide.

He added that his failure to pay the loan from a private micro-credit lending organisation, forced him to take the decision to end his life.

He said: “I am a 200 level dropout of Federal College of Education, Osiele, Ogun state. I dropped out Of school because I could not get financial assistance to continue. Due to the health problem of my child in 2008, I had to drop out so that I could have some money to take care of him. But, we later lost the child in 2009 because we were unable to pay some hospital bills after people had helped us in raising money for the surgery”, he said

“I am frustrated because am owing a lot of people ranging from house bill to electricity bill and some other bills. I am ashamed of myself because am not a responsible man, I cannot cater for my family as a head. The LAPO officials have used OPC (Odua Peoples Congress) to arrest my wife because of the money, if not for the help of my pastor. Am just frustrated because I have to pay N3,000 every Friday and I am presently jobless. I still have like N24,000 to balance. The micro-finance bank have given my family tough times for sometimes now because, I cannot afford to be re-paying N3,000 every Friday.”

He, however, said he regretted his action and wanted a second chance in life.

“I wish to go back to school; I want the government to help me with a job that can cater for me and my family,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Ogbonnaya Dyke, described it as a crime against the state for someone to try to end his life, adding that the suspect would be handed over to the police, after the completion of investigation by the NSCDC Intelligence Unit.