A man has been arrested as he attempted to commit suicide with a
rope in the bush over his inability to pay a fifty thousand Naira loan.
Abiodun Onipede Onipede was arrested by the Anti-Vandal team of
the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ogun State command while
attempting to tie a rope around his neck in the bush along Ayetoro road
in Abeokuta.
Vanguard reports that Abiodun had tied the rope to a big tree and was
about hanging himself when a member of the team who wanted to ease
himself in the bush stumbled on him and stopped .
Reports further state that Onipede, commercial Tricyclist was a 200
level drop-out of Federal College of Education, Osiele due to financial
incapability. Onipede had lost one of his children due to his inability
to pay hospital bills.
While speaking with newsmen, Onipede, a 34-year old father of five
said he was a former staff of Traffic Compliance and Agency in the
state.
He said his inability to perform his responsibility as the head of
the family led him to attempt suicide . He added that his failure to pay
the ‘Lapo’ loan, an informal money lender syndicate forced him to take
the decision to take his life. ‘Lapo’ loan is a popular loan among the
Yoruba entities; where people are being lent money with a high interest.
According to him,
“I am a 200 level Drop-out of Federal College of
Education, Osiele, I dropped out 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 my sick
child. But, we later lost the child in 2009 because we were unable to
pay some hospital bills after people have helped us in raising money for
the surgery. “I was duped by some people and they even threatened me,
and this made me to leave Abeokuta for Akwa-Ibom state.
It was when I came back after a year that I discovered I
have been sacked from the TRACE. “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
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. And I still have like N24,000 to balance .
“I cannot pay the hospital bill of my
mother, I can’t take care of her, I was told she is now on the street
begging to survive. No family to help me, we have been living in abject
poverty. “What added to my conclusion to commit suicide was due to my
inability to refund the ‘Lapo’ loan I collected when I wanted to start
my tricycle business. The officials of the Lapo have been giving my
family tough times for sometimes now, because, I cannot afford to be
repaying N3,000 every Friday”, he said.
He however, said he regretted his action, saying,
“ it was not my
fault, am just a frustrated man that does not know what else to do. “I
wish to go back to school; I want the government to help me with a job
that can cater for my family and other things that are important”.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Ogbonnaya Dyke
described it as a crime against the state for someone to try to take his
life. Ogbonnayah added that the suspect will be handed over to the
police, after the NSCDC Intelligence Unit has done proper work. His
word,
“Since the matter is under our Crisis management team, we have to swing into action to address the situation.
“It is a crime against the state for
someone to try to take his life. Necessary actions will be taken by the
Corps in addressing the situation. He is going to be handed over to the
police after our intelligence Unit has done its proper work”.
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