Abeokuta
— A part-time student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, Timilehin Ayobami
Ogundare, has been found dead in his room in Ilupeju area, Baasala, Asero,
Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He
was believed to have committed suicide by hanging himself.
According
to PM News, the deceased was also a computer operator with a firm in Abeokuta
before his death.
A
family source who pleaded anonymity said the deceased tried to kill himself
last year but was stopped by some people.
The
relation revealed that the deceased was arrested by some security guards and
handed over to men of the state vigilance service when he attempted to jump
into River Ogun. He was later released.
He
attempted to jump into River Ogun
“The
whole issue is still like a drama because I don’t know what could have made him
decide to take his life. We have been looking for him since January 1. Later,
we heard that he went to Lagos. He boarded a train from Lagos back to Abeokuta
on Saturday and came down at Lafenwa. He trekked from the station through Enu
Gada area to Ajitaadun down to Arakanga area with the aim of jumping into the
river.
“He
was arrested by the security men in the area when they saw him wandering with
only his boxer pant on. They handed him over to the vigilante men at Oke Ilewo
for further investigation.
“We
went there to collect him and we were told to come back with him yesterday. On
getting to his room, we found out that he had hanged himself. He left a short
note, apologising that he disappointed us,” the source narrated in tears.
When
the spokesman of the Ogun State Vigilante Service, Mr. Soji Ganzallo, was
contacted, he confirmed the incident and expressed shock at the boy’s death.
The
family was careless
“It
is unfortunate that what we tried to prevent eventually happened. They (family)
were careless with the way they handled the boy. If the boy had been properly
monitored, this sad incident wouldn’t have happened. We got a distress call on
Saturday by local security men around Arakanga that a boy was trying to commit
suicide by trying to jump into the river. Our men rushed to the area and took
the boy to our office.
“In
the course of questioning him, he confirmed to us that he left home for Lagos
on New Year day but did not tell us where and who he went to meet in Lagos.
When we asked about his phone, he said he had no phone but only his SIM card
was with him.
“Sensing
that his parents will be looking for him, I directed that his SIM card be
inserted into a phone, hoping that someone will call his line,” Ganzallo said.
The
vigilante spokesman revealed further that not long after the SIM card was
inserted into the phone, several calls came in.
Ganzallo
said: “We discovered that those calls were from his mother, sister and a
pastor. The pastor later called back and demanded to stand as surety for his
bail. We agreed.
“The
man of God arrived with the boy’s mother and some relatives. The pastor’s name
is Wole Oyenekan and he gave his address as Egba Inner Circle Building, Abiola
Way, Abeokuta.
“We
questioned the boy but from what I was able to gather, the boy was determined
not to tell anybody his problem. The pastor pleaded with me to hand him over to
him. I initially disagreed but after much persuasions and assurance that they
will monitor him, I released him to them and asked them to come back on Sunday.
“I
was shocked when I heard the news that the boy eventually carried out his
mission.”
He
refused to go to church on Sunday
Another
source disclosed that the teenager perfected his suicide by refusing to go to
church on Sunday, feigning illness.
According
to the source, “I remember that he told the pastor while coming from the
vigilante’s office that he needed some money to pay for his school fees and the
pastor told him to see him on Sunday after church service. After the breakfast,
he said he was not feeling well and begged to be allowed to stay back, which
was granted.
“After
the church service, he joined other family members to eat the lunch around 4
p.m. After the food, he went into his room and no one bothered to know what he
was doing until around 8p.m. when we were looking for him.
“When
we forced his door opened, we met his lifeless body. He hanged himself with his
belt. We went to the Obantoko Police Station to report the matter and the
police arrived around 11.45 p.m. and removed his corpse to the mortuary,” he
stated.
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