Monthly Media Reports on Suicide Incidents in Nigeria – October 2020

Suicide is the act of intentionally taking one’s life. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1 million people die each year from suicide. It is difficult to anticipate suicide in most instances and this makes it a terribly dangerous menace in any society. What drives so many individuals to take their own lives remains a serious puzzle though depression is at the center of the probable cause, according to scholars and counselors. The fact is that a suicidal person is in so much pain that he or she can see no other option. Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape suffering that has become unbearable. A suicidal person is often blinded by feelings of self-loathing, helplessness, hopelessness, and isolation. The person hardly sees any way of finding relief except through death.

We continue our documentation of media reports on suicide incidents in Nigeria. The suicide reports considered are credible stories from mainstream media or some highly rated social media platforms and forums. Here is a list of suicide incidents in Nigeria that took place in October, 2020 as reported by the media.

CASE ONE

Story Title: Lady Commits Suicide After Losing Her Phone As Friends Mourn

Victims’ Names: Nora Able

Marital Status: Single

Date: October 4 (reported)

Gender: Female

Age: Not given

Method: Poisonous substance (sniper)

Reason: Frustration (allegedly for losing her phone)

Type: Suicide

Occupation: Not given

State Where incident Happened: Akwa Ibom

Victim’s State of Origin: Akwa Ibom

Story Summary:

Death in whatever form it happens often brings feelings of ache, sadness, despair and agony on friends and relatives of the deceased. This is the feeling of friends of a pretty lady who allegedly committed suicide because she lost her phone.

Late Nora Able as gathered was a beauty queen from Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. She reportedly died as a result of poison she drank. She was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead later.
She had been buried and her friends held a candle light session to mourn the great loss. She was an important person and a president of Clever Girls Foundation.

Source: Nairaland Forum

 

CASE TWO

Story Title: Nigerian Man Hangs Himself to Death in Benue

Victims’ Names: Ernest Tsue Tyoakaa

Marital Status: Not given

Date: October 12 (reported)

Gender: Male

Age: Not given

Method: Hanging

Reason: Not given

Type: Suicide

Occupation: Not given

State Where incident Happened: Benue

Victim’s State of Origin: Not given

Story Summary:

The lifeless body of a Nigerian man identified as Ernest Tsue Tyoakaa was found in Mbawar, Nyiev Council Ward in Daudu, Guma Local Government Area of the State.

Sources gathered that Ernest committed suicide and his body was found hanging in a classroom of a school knows as Victory International College, Daudu, by a group of women who went to get water close to the premises.

The body of late Ernest Tsue who hanged himself to death in photos sighted by Ghgossip.com has been deposited at Daudu Mortuary by State Police Command.

Source: GhGossip

 

READ ALSO: Monthly Media Reports on Suicide Incidents in Nigeria – November 2020

CASE THREE

Story Title: Another man commits suicide in Benue State

Victims’ Names: Alumun Igbaze

Marital Status: Not given

Date: October 11

Gender: Male

Age: Not given

Method: Hanging

Reason: Not given

Type: Suicide

Occupation: Not given

State Where incident Happened: Benue

Victim’s State of Origin: Not given

Story Summary:

A middle aged man identified as Alumun Igbaze has allegedly committed suicide in Benue State.

Igbaze was found was hanging on a tree at Mbaayilamo community in Buruku Local Government Area of the state on Sunday evening, Octobr 11.

Recall that the lifeless body of another middle aged man, Tyoaka Tyosue, was found hanging in the classroom of a school in the early hours of Monday in Daudu, Guma LGA.
The motives for both incidents are yet to be ascertained as the victims didn’t leave any suicide notes.

Spokesperson for the State Police Command, DSP Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident said she was yet to receive details of both cases.

Source: Lindaikejiblog

 

CASE FOUR

Story Title: Young man commits suicide in Enugu community

Victims’ Names: Ikenna Sunday Eze

Marital Status: Single

Date: October 18

Gender: Male

Age: 23

Method: Hanging

Reason: Not given

Type: Suicide

Occupation: Not given

State Where incident Happened: Enugu

Victim’s State of Origin: Enugu

Story Summary:

There was pandemonium at the hill-side community of Ala Ugbele Obukpa, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State as a 23-year-old boy identified as Ikenna Sunday Eze, allegedly committed suicide, Sunday night.

Though, he left no suicide note behind, one of his younger brothers, Chidubem Eze, informed Vanguard that he gave a hint about his death the night he took own life.

The younger Eze said that the deceased had told his father, Sustainus Eze, to take care of his siblings when he dies, adding that the father didn’t take the statement seriously.

Source: Vanguard

CASE FIVE

Story Title: Police officer kills colleague, self in Abuja over #End SARS

Victims’ Name:

Marital Status: Not given

Date: October 25

Gender: Male

Age:

Method: Shooting

Reason: Anger (over argument)

Type: Murder-Suicide

Occupation: Police man

State Where incident Happened: Abuja

Victim’s State of Origin: Not given

Story Summary:

There was pandemonium at Mabushi community in Abuja on Saturday as a police officer on special protection duty at a residence shot his colleague dead.

It was learnt that the incident happened around 10 am after the two officers engaged in banter on the #EndSARS protest.

A witness who preferred to remain anonymous told Daily Trust yesterday that the officer was allegedly drunk before the incident, and after he became aware of his action, he shot himself and died on the spot.

Source: Daily Trust

 

N.B: The cases presented here are incidents reported in social media and mainstream media which do not have very controversial angles to them in terms of whether they happened or not. These are verifiable incidents. There are some other unverifiable cases that looked very controversial on face value which were not captured here. Some of them were either reported only by one or two unreliable platforms, or the reports had contents that queried whether the incident was suicide or not.