The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Suicide

  • Rector laments suicide rate among students

    The Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Dr. Taiwo Akande, is concerned about the rate of suicide among students  which, she said is being triggered by bottled up emotion.

    Mrs. Akande, who spoke last Friday during the matriculation of 3,690 new students admitted into the polytechnic for the 2015/2016 academic session, advised them to always open up when passing through difficulties.

    She said some students committed suicide because they couldn’t share their emotional trouble with the right people who could help them overcome their challenges.

    The Rector urged the students to approach the counsellors or any other senior official in the polytechnic who are professionally trained to handle such problems rather than resorting to self-help.

    Urging the students to face their primary assignment in the institution, the Rector said the school would not condone vices like cybercrime, cultism and illegal sale of bed spaces.

    “The management has put in place a vigilant security network to closely monitor students and sniff out the bad eggs. Such unscrupulous elements will not be allowed to tarnish the hard earned image of this institution. Anybody caught will be made to face the full weight of the law.

    “It is most disturbing these days to discover that students sell their bed spaces at exorbitant amounts to fellow students after being allocated bed spaces in the hostel.  If detected such students would be not only be rusticated he will be prosecuted as well,” she warned.

    For those who excel in their academic pursuits, the Rector said they will be rewarded, to encourage others.

    She advised the students to be security conscious considering the prevailing insecurity in the country.

    “Be security conscious; don’t walk or read alone at night; read in group . If anybody gives you unsolicited money or gifts, ask questions, because this might be a ploy to lure you into cultism. Don’t truncate your future or give your parents everlasting sorrow by your conducts”, she said.

    The matriculation oath was administered on the students by the Polytechnic Registrar, Mrs. S.O. Adediran.

  • Re: Help! My daughter wants to commit suicide!

    LAST week, I shared the story of a woman who has been in a loveless marriage right from the very start.  She got pregnant for her husband who was her first boyfriend and in fact deflowered her. And he was practically forced to marry her. Since the beginning of the union, he has taken care of her needs and that of their children but their home has always been cold. In recent times, he married a new wife and seems to have come back to life, now appearing with a spring in his steps and a cheery smile. He left for a new house he built to live with his new wife but comes back to his first home to spend 2 nights each week not because he misses anyone but because he has to supervise his business here in Lagos. He hasn’t stopped providing his family their basic necessities but there’s fire on the mountain. Over the years, Hakeem has constantly warned his wife and their daughter, Mope against having a child outside wedlock and in fact threatened to throw them not only out of his house but out of his life. Now, Mope who is 19 and in her 3rd year in a private university in Nigeria is pregnant. If found out by the university authority, she would be rusticated immediately. Mope has been missing from school and home and only communicates with her mother on phone. Though she was kind enough to tell her why she disappeared, she wants to terminate the pregnancy while her mother doesn’t have the heart to support evil and lose her daughter; she’s also scared to lose the only man in her life and all the comfort she’s ever known. Some readers sent in their advice.

    Dear Madam,

    If I were in your shoes, I’ll stand by my daughter. She’s made a terrible mistake but you cannot disown her over a loveless marriage for the sake of losing all. Her father (not your husband because you never had one) has another life with another family. You stand the possibility of losing a child if you go on to have her commit an abortion. Let your daughter know how disappointed you are but stand by her, show her love and support. Her father in time will have a change of heart and if he not- good luck to him. Your place is with your children.

    Abimbola Adelegan

     I really want to thank God for bringing this woman to a decision she would have taken years ago. I believe this will also be an eye opener to some of our ladies who decide to park their fast moving cars behind a stagnant one. Why would a lady be bearing children for a man who detests her and all she represents? Experience has shown that a man who detests you will never cherish your children, meaning I expect her to have opted out of that union after the first child. If the first pregnancy did not change him, neither the second nor the fifth will and that has been proved in this case. Please note, I am not trying to be judgmental here but I feel bad when I see some of our ladies sacrificing their peace, joy, intelligence, education, resourcefulness and sometimes their life for a mirage with their two eyes wide opened. My candid advice is for you to agree with providence by confronting the issue headlong. Tell your husband about the pregnancy; let him know abortion is not an option. If he insists on sending you all out of his house, involve his family and if that fails, inform the child welfare team (I know the Lagos state law is very supportive in that regard), they will invite him and force child support fees on him while you remain in his house or he might get a conducive apartment for you and your children, his capability and status will determine these, so head or tail, you will win. I only hope you are not a full time housewife. Your freedom is guaranteed, but you’ll need plenty of courage to see this through.

    Kola Olanipekun

     Dear Temilolu,

    I read the story of the daughter on a suicide mission. It’s a matter of what goes around comes round. That lady was born that way-out of wedlock. Whether the father wants to hear or not, the truth must be told, but diplomatically by family elders. The issue of the university must be addressed first. She may defer her course for a session on either heath grounds or travel. Good luck.

    F.M.Abdul

    Dear Madam,

    With your love and support, your daughter can have a safe delivery and still return to school to build a future career. Regarding the father’s attitude and threatening behavior, there must be some family members who can appeal to him and talk sense into him. Your daughter has made a mistake and all she needs now is the love and support of her parents.

    Chief ‘Tunde Oke,OON

    Dear Madam,

    I imagine what you are passing through right now and your daughter’s emotional state which is more worrisome. You’ve been through and gotten used to a loveless marriage but this girl whose father’s lack of warmth probably drove her into the arms of a young man who swept her off her feet may not be able to stand the pain of being rusticated from the university while in her 3rdyear. This is very unfortunate but you have to follow the righteous path and make your daughter understand the rewards in spite of the looming trouble and rejection she may face. Believe it or not, you set this pattern and perhaps because you concentrated too much on trying to make your husband love you, you forgot to ensure your daughter didn’t follow your footsteps. No point crying over spilt milk. Please be strong for your daughter’s sake and surrender all to God. Who knows, this may be a turning point in your lives and may eventually lead you into the life you both deserve. God will always support the righteous.

    Pastor Temilolu

  • Help! My daughter wants to commit suicide!

    HELLO Temilolu, I am in great trouble and don’t know what to do. My daughter has cast a great shadow over my life and I simply don’t know where to turn. I’d give you a background of my marriage so you can appreciate my predicament. I married Hakeem in my early 20’s as soon as I graduated from the university. He was the man who deflowered me and it resulted into pregnancy. He was rather reluctant to marry me; I discovered he was not in love with me. However, his father swore to disinherit him if he refused to marry me. All my life, I never had any lover before him. In the first few years of our marriage we were not always together most of the time as he shuttled between Nigeria and the U.K. This only made things worse. I thought things would get better when he finally settled down in Nigeria but it only got worse. I’ve made an effort over the years to express my love and have a good marriage but Hakeem has never shown me true love and when a man is not reciprocating your love, you get tired of trying and eventually begin to dislike him. In essence, I’ve never enjoyed my marriage. I can’t even say we are friends. Neither do I look forward to love making between us, he never makes me feel wanted. He has always treated me like he’s only tolerating me. When our children were little, he hardly spent time with them, he was never around most of the time and whenever he was, he never played with them. However, right from their childhood, he’s provided all their needs to the best of his capability and sent them to good schools. And right from when our children especially my daughter reached the age of puberty, he would always tell me to look after my daughter and threaten to send my daughter and I packing and shut us out of his life if she ever came home with an unwanted pregnancy. This terrified me a lot and I ensured I monitored my daughter as much as possible and pleaded with her not to get too close to any guy.

    A few years ago, Hakeem married a younger girl as we all expected would happen and it’s as though the girl brought him back to life. He suddenly developed a spring in his steps. This broke my heart but I had to accept my fate. Not long after, he moved to a new house he just built in Ibadan and left us in the first house he built here in Lagos-where we’ve all been living over the years. So, what he does is to come to Lagos each week and spend a night or two. And I can tell you he comes to Lagos not because of us but because of his business. He never stopped providing our necessities regularly but the distance between us widens each day. I tried everything I could to divert his attention to me but all my efforts remain futile till this minute.

    My daughter Mope is 19 years old and at the tail end of her 3rd year in a private university in Nigeria. We’ve always had a close-knit relationship and while I visit her every second Sunday of the month, she comes home at the end of every month. As I prepared to visit her a few days ago, I called to ask her what she needed only for her to tell me I would never meet her in school and that she was going to take her life if I don’t support her decision. “What happened?” I can hear you ask. She discovered she’s 4 weeks pregnant for her boyfriend who has no qualms with the issue but she would certainly be rusticated from the university if found out. Now, on the other hand, we have her father to face. What in this world would I tell her him? How would I face him and tell him his daughter is pregnant? How can I support my daughter to terminate a pregnancy? Please help!

    • Readers are free to send in their advice and suggestions to 08172677902 (sms only)

  • RRS operatives stop woman’s suicide bid

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives on Tuesday prevented a 27-year-old woman from jumping into the lagoon with her 12–month old baby.

    She was restrained by two RRS motorcyclists from plunging into the lagoon from the top of the Third Mainland Bridge.

    A cab driver had drawn the RRS riders’ attention to Mrs Adegoke, near the lagoon.

    On interrogation at the RRS Headquarters, Mrs Adegoke said she trekked from Medina Estate in Gbagada to the Third Mainland.

    She claimed that she heard a voice asking her to come to the Third Mainland Bridge.

    According to her, she decided to hearken to the call because it was constant.

    Adegoke told interrogators that she moved to her parent’s house in Gbagada, following issues with her husband.

    She was release yesterday with her baby to her relatives.

  • Police save woman from committing suicide in Imo

    Police save woman from committing suicide in Imo

    The police in Imo on Tuesday rescued a female staff of one of the higher institutions of learning in the state who attempted to commit suicide.

    The Imo Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed the incident but declined to disclose the name of the woman, said she was rescued unhurt.

    He said the woman had climbed the high stanchion of a water tank in the early morning hours and was shouting on top of her voice that she was frustrated and tired of life.

    “A woman was rescued from committing suicide early hours of this morning by the Police.

    “We got a distress call in the early hours of the morning that a woman was going to commit suicide along MCC road in Owerri.

    “A team of policemen was dispatched to the scene and the woman was brought down from the height.

    “As I speak with you, she has been identified as a Staff of the ALVAN College and is still in police custody.

    She will be released to her family after preliminary investigations,” Enwerem said.

    When contacted, a senior management staff of the institution who preferred anonymity, wondered why one would want to take his or her life, saying that the college should be left out of the matter.

     

  • Abia worker commits suicide over unpaid salaries

    Abia worker commits suicide over unpaid salaries

    A civil servant with the Abia State Ministry of Lands and Survey has committed suicide by hanging.

    He was said to have taken his life because he had not been paid for over four months, coupled with his reported inability to feed his family and meet other financial obligations.

    The deceased, a father of four, was identified as simply as De Nwakwo.

    He is said to be in his early 50s.

    He was said to have committed suicide after dropping a note in his sitting room before his wife and his children returned from a church service.

    The man, who hailed from Ihe Ndume community in Umuahia North Local Government Area, had four children, two of who were said to be in primary schools while the others in secondary schools.

    A source close to the family and a community leader

    said the deceased often approached some people for foodstuffs and financial assistance.

    The source said that the wife earlier requested for some money from him to enable her buy uniform for the women in the church to wear for the Mother’s Day celebration.

    He said: “We believe that he hanged himself because of financial pressures from his wife, coupled with his inability to fulfil his obligations to his family, among other family problems.”

    The suicide note, which was sent to the Ehimiri Police Station, reads: “I have no other place to go; no hope, nothing to give to my children to eat and no salary for the past four months. I am sorry I have to do this.”

    The source said the community felt bad about the man’s death.

    He added that his body had been has been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Umuahia.

    But police spokesman Onyeke Udeviotu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said he was not aware of the incident.

    But he promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the station where the case was reported.

     

     

  • ‘Suicide bombers won’t make paradise’

    Suicide bombers will not make paradise, an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Habeebullahi Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory, said yesterday.

    In his keynote address at the graduation of over 70 students of the Arabic and Islamic Training Institute (Markaz) in Agege, Al- Ilory said it was against the tenets of Islam to kill.

    The institute’s rector said: “There is no paradise for suicide bombers. Our Prophet said ‘By Allah, he is not a believer! One whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil.’ How can we now say a suicide bomber that killed his neighbours will enter paradise and marry beautiful unchaste ladies going by the statement of the Holy Prophet? It is high time we made known to whoever is contemplating suicide bombing that hell fire awaits such person besides other grievous punishment. Does it not amount to madness to say somebody who took the lives of the innocent ones will enter paradise? The Quran never said that and we should not misinterpret the message of the Quran.”

    He warned the graduands to eschew extremism because it leads to terrorism, saying: “We have done our best to give you the knowledge that will make you to be the best in the larger community if well put into practise. It is now your turn to be good ambassadors of this institute.

    “Remember, no teaching of our Holy Prophet allows you to treat your neighbour unjustly; Prophet Muhammad never encouraged shedding of innocent blood and Islam abhors it too. Do not because of money engage in acts akin to terrorism because we do not teach anything related to it here.

    “Know that riches come from Allah; it is true that many scholars engage in fetish and evil deeds because of affluence – they want to ride the best cars, build mansions without good source of income – they are doom for Allah’s punishment.”

    President-General of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) Alhaji Sakariyahu Babalola, who chaired the event, urged the graduands to influence society positively, saying terrorism is alien to Islam.

    “You can’t be a Muslim and engage in terrorist act. Where do you see such dastardly act in the Quran or teaching of the Holy Prophet? If Islam preaches good neighbourliness and a supposed Muslim went to attack his neighbour, has he not contradicted the teaching of Islam? Can we say that person is a Muslim?” he asked.

    Babalola urged the three tiers of government to create jobs for the youth because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

    “As a nation, we cannot afford the prize of allowing our youths to wander the streets jobless. The consequence is unimaginable,” he said.

    Former minister of Mines and Steel Alhaji Sharafa Ishola said Islam has nothing to do with terrorism.

    He urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of Islam.

  • Civilian JTF, Army foil suicide attack in Borno

    Another suicide attack was on Saturday foiled by men of the civilian JTF and Troops on 7 Division Nigeria Army at Ummarati Village near on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    Ummarari community has been recently hit by suicide attack with the last one on a mosque more claiming more than ten worshippers were killed.

    In a statement signed by the army spokesman Col. Sani Usman, the suicide bomber blew himself off while he was being prevented by some vigilant troops from wrecking havoc on the community.

    The statement read; “Troops of 7 Division Garrison Forward Operation Base (FOB), today averted yet another suicide bombing catastrophe on Ummarari community by suspected Boko Haram terrorist at about 7.00am this morning.

    “The suicide bomber was intercepted by the vigilant troops and the Civilian JTF while making attempt to enter the village to detonate his dangerous cargo on innocent persons in the Ummarari.

    “The suicide bomber detonated the strapped Improvised Explosive Device (IED) vest on his body, thus killing himself instantly when he was forced to halt based on suspicion that he was carrying suicide bombing material.

    “Thankfully, there was no any other casualty other than the suspected suicide bomber. Troops along with the Civilian JTF at the village are now combing the surrounding area to forestall further attacks and clear the environment of likely remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hibernating.”

  • Man commits suicide in Aba

    Man commits suicide in Aba

    A young man identified as Mr. Samuel Ogwo has reportedly committed suicide at Ehere village in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

    The incident took place at the weekend in a yet-to-be completed three storey building located at Nwobasi Estate, some kilometers off the commercial hub of the state.

    Information about the incident, until the time of filing the report was sketchy as people were yet to know why the young man should decide to take his life that way.

    But a source in the area told our correspondent that the victim before hanging himself, placed some blocks which he climbed to enable him carry the ungodly act.

    The source who could not also confirm whether the body of the victim has been brought down from the rope holding him by the villagers said “I am not an indigene of Ehere, but in situations like this, I know that they used to perform some rituals take down the corpse of a victim that die in such manner like suicide,” the source stated.

    The source said that though the villagers are yet to find out what could possibly lead the victim into such stated that some sections of the residents were suspecting foul play.

    The family members of the victim cannot be reached, but the Police Public Relations Officer of Abia State Command; DSP Ezekiel Udeviotu Onyeke confirmed the incident.

    Udeviotu added that the victim before committing the suicide sent a text message to his family members informing them of his intended act.

    According to him, preliminary investigation ruled out foul play as some people may have been speculating, he however said that investigation into the possible cause of the act is being carried out by the Easter Ngwa Police Division police crack team under whose jurisdiction the incident happened.

     

  • Chibok girls: Cameroon yet to release self-confessed suicide bomber, partner

    Chibok girls: Cameroon yet to release self-confessed suicide bomber, partner

    Barely three weeks after their arrest, the self-confessed Chibok suicide bomber, Aissatou Musa,  and her partner, Mamma Sali, are yet to be released to the Federal Government.

    The two girls were said to be undergoing what a security source described as “bonafide” investigation in Yaounde.

    Some Nigerian security agents are in the Camerounian capital, Yaounde, to assist their counterparts on the profiling of the girls.

    According to a top security source, the Camerounian government said it wanted a comprehensive investigation which may provide some information on the operation of Boko Haram in the Francophone country.

    The source said: “The two girls have not been handed over to the Federal Government because of the ongoing strategic bonafide investigation.

    “They said they cannot just dismiss the girls and return them to Nigeria because they were arrested by local self-defence forces in Limani , which is in the far North of Cameroon being ravaged by Boko Haram.

    “They told our team that it is in the interest of the two countries to gather enough intelligence from the suspects.

    “Some of our security agents are still in Yaounde to compare notes and collaborate on the next step. We have asked them to hand over the girls to us for further investigation.

    The Cameroonian authorities have concluded a preliminary investigation which indicated that the girls were not Chibok girls and they had no connection with the abducted 219 girls.

    It was learnt that the two girls have never had the opportunity of Western Education.

    A report said in part: “Available information as regards the acclaimed Chibok girl indicated as follows: Aissatou Musa, who claimed to be one of the Chibok girls, is the daughter of Musa Bladi and Fanta(mother) of Mandara Ethnic Group.

    “The second girl is Mamma Sali. She is the daughter of Sali Chetima and Hajiya Bintou of Kanuri tribe.

    “Both hailed from Bama and speak in Mandara, Hausa and Kanuri. They have never been to Western school except Koranic schools. They have no relationship with the 219 Chibok girls.”

    The  #BringBackOurGirls group has however, in a statement, offered suggestions on how to manage such an incident in a “quicker, more responsive and professional handling” in the future.

    The statement said: “Following the incident of Friday 26 March, 2016, wherein two females carrying explosives were arrested in the northern Cameroonian town of Limani—one of which professed to be one of our Chibok girls—we feel obligated, as a movement in the forefront of the advocacy for the rescue of our 219 Chibok girls (as well as other abductees of Boko Haram, and related issues), to offer our well-considered positions on the matter.

    “We are convinced that our positions and suggestions will be useful for our especially the Nigerian government in the on-going operations to rescue all Nigerian abductees and our 219 Chibok girls who were taken under distressing conditions from their school on the night of 14 April 2014.