Another final year student of UNN commits suicide

A final year student of the Department of Religion and Culture, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State, Samuel Elias, 25, has allegedly committed suicide by drinking sniper.

The mother of the deceased, Mrs Kate Elias, a staff of the university, told the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident occurred on Monday, June 17, around 5.30pm in her house at Justina Eze Street, Nsukka.

Elias said that she came back from work on a fateful day and discovered that the mood of her first child was bad and he was staggering when he came to collect a bottle of Coke from the fridge.

“I followed him immediately to his room and started talking to him, but he could not respond and when I looked closely, I discovered that his teeth had clenched up.

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“As I looked around, I saw an empty sniper bottle; at this point, I raised the alarm and my other children rushed to the room.

“We tried to give him red oil but his clenched teeth did not allow the oil to enter his mouth,” she said.

According to her, “we immediately rushed him to Faith Foundation Hospital, Nsukka and were later referred to Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, where he eventually died.

The mother of seven said her son could have died of depression, noting that he had been lamenting his inability to graduate from UNN because of his final year project which had been holding him.

She also said that her son had not been happy with how his late father’s family had abandoned them since their father died.

“I know two things he usually complained of – his inability to graduate from UNN since 2016 because of the project and how his father’s family in Ihechiowa in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State abandoned them and their mother since their father died.

“Whenever he complained of these things, I usually advised him to trust God who is capable of solving every problem.

“I do not know why he would go to this extent of committing suicide, I have seven children and he was my first child.

“It is still like a dream to me that my first son, as well as my first child, has died,” she said in tears.

Reacting to this incident, Prof. Tagbo Ugwu, the Head of Department of Religion and Culture in UNN said somebody called him and told him about the incident.

“I received the news with shock and surprise.

“I will find out from his supervisor what is wrong with the project that stopped him from graduating,” he said.

When contacted, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in Enugu State, confirmed the incident and said police would investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

It will be recalled that about five weeks ago, Chukwuemeka Akachi, a 400-level student of Department of English and Literary Studies in UNN ended his own life after taking a bottle of sniper.