A 32-year-old man identified as Aboh Ogbeche, on Friday, committed suicide at his family residence in Lawanson, Surulere area of Lagos State.
Aboh was said to have drank bleach, even as sources stated that there was nothing to indicate that he was planning to commit suicide.
It was gathered that the victim poured the liquid in a cup, sat before his mother, gulped the substance and immediately began to convulse.
A close friend of the deceased said the mother, who was shocked by the incident, raised the alarm and Aboh was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
It was gathered that the deceased did not leave behind a suicide note or told any of his friends about his plan to commit suicide.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Aboh was a very jovial person and nobody knew he could think of taking his own life.
“He was from Cross River State and about 32 years old. He slumped in the presence of his mum around 3.30pm on Friday after drinking a brand of bleach. He was rushed to the Aishat Hospital in Idi Araba, where he died. His body has been deposited in the LUTH mortuary.”
Aboh’s friends, who were shocked by the incident, shared their thoughts on the victim’s Facebook page.
One of his friends, AirsTee Martins, wrote, “Sweet heart, you should have spoken to someone. How could you have thought for a moment that this is the best way. Please, let one try to speak if he is going through a rough time.
“Even if we are far apart, we still connect one way or the other. So, please, no one should feel intimidated with what the other might have achieved. This social media; people develop low self-esteem, get depressed and feel like they are not enough.
“But it should not be so. Let’s try to stay strong because when there is life, there is hope. RIP Ogbeche.”Another friend of the deceased, Gulf Limmer, wrote, “What happened to him? Why Aboh? We chatted three weeks ago. Why Ogbeche? Why did you take your life?”
A resident of Lawanson, who gave his name as Ndifreke, told our correspondent that the deceased’s mother was devastated because her son took his life in her presence.
Ndifreke stated, “He did not leave any suicide note behind. I learnt that the mother saw her son with the substance, which he poured in a cup and drank. He told his mum that he had drunk it, but the mother thought he was joking.
“Aboh was a very playful person. So, not up to two minutes he drank the bleach, he began to convulse. As he was being rushed to hospital, he was given palm oil. But he did not survive it. Nobody was oppressing him and nobody was trying to blackmail him; we don’t know the reason why he took his life.
“The mother has been crying since then. She is in shock because the incident happened in her presence.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said he had not been briefed about the incident.
“I cannot confirm what is not reported to us. That incident is not known to us. Let me find out if it is reported,” he stated.
Elkana had yet to get back to our correspondent as of the time of filing the report.
PUNCH