By Anslem
Okoro
A 50-year-old man, Chief Ekanem Edet, has
taken his life at Mbiabong Itam in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State
and left a suicide note blaming President Muhammadu Buhari.
Residents of Mbiabong
Itam were shocked to discover the body of the former secretary of the Mbiabong
Village Council dangling on the suspended rope from the roof of his house.
Edet, popularly called
Jolly Boy, blamed his decision to commit suicide on the prevailing hardship
which had taken a toll on his life since the nation’s leaders on May 29, 2015.
A few days before his
death, the father of two was complaining of the current economic crunch which
had impacted on the living standard of the masses.
Edet, who was selling
Ogogoro (local gin), cigarettes and other stimulants, according to family
source, decided to take his life when it appeared he could no longer run his
small family with the meagre earnings from his business.
“He was a very sociable
man and always shared his thoughts on issues. I don’t know why he should
consider suicide as the last option to escape from these hard times.
Only God knows,” Okon
Effiong, a close associate of the deceased, told journalists. Effiong said
Edet’s body was discovered by his friend, who went to visit him that fateful
day. His wife and two sons, it was gathered, had gone out at the time the man
committed suicide.
“Later in the day, his
friend came to check on him, only to discover that his longtime friend and
confidant had killed himself,” Mfonobong Ekpe, a teacher in the neighbourhood,
told our correspondent.
Although our
correspondent did not see the note, some relatives said the former village
secretary left a suicide note blaming the president for inflicting unbearable
pains and hardship on the people.
“He used to complain that
his petty business was no longer fetching him enough money to take care of his
basic needs such as food and clothing for his family as well as pay his
children’s school fees.
“He was always blaming
Buhari for his economic policies that do not allow the common people to afford
basic commodities like garri, bread, yam, rice, beans, oil and kerosene and
other essential goods,” Asuquo Bassey, a pastor at the local church said.
According to him, the
family was reluctant to call the police when it discovered the sad incident
because of the suicide note which indicated that Edet took his own life.
When contacted on the
phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Cordelia Nwawe, said
her office was yet to be briefed on the incident.
On Monday evening a man
attempted to commit suicide by jumping into Mile 2 River, Lagos. The man, who
was later rescued by some divers in a speed boat, reportedly shout “Buhari,
Buhari, Buhari,” jumped into the river.
“Buhari’s government has
finished me and my business. I can’t afford to live anymore. Bye, bye to
Nigeria,” he was quoted as saying. When he was rescued, the emergency unit from
the Lagos State government gave him first aid. The man was too weak to talk.
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Source: New Mail
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