A man who allegedly attempted to commit suicide over his inability to refund an N50,000 loan. has been arrested by security operatives in Ogun state.
The man was arrested by the Anti-Vandal Team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ogun Command, while he was trying to hang himself in a bush on Ayetoro Road, Abeokuta.
NAN learnt that the man had tied a rope to a tree and was about hanging himself when a member of the NSCDC team saw him.
The man, a 34-year old father of five, later told newsmen that he worked with Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) in Ogun but was sacked.
Why suicide?
He explained that his inability to perform his responsibility as the head of the family led him to attempt suicide .
The man who is a 200 level drop-out of Federal College of Education, Osiele, added that his failure to pay the ‘loan from LAPO, a private micro-credit lending organisation, forced him to take the decision to take his life.
“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 had helped us in raising money for the surgery.
“I was duped by some people and they even threatened me which made me to leave Abeokuta for Akwa-Ibom state. It was when I came back after a year that I discovered I had been sacked from 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.
He further explained that the LAPO people had arrested his wife, only to be helped by his pastor to regain her freedom.
“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. And I still have like N24,000 to balance .
“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.
