A middle age man, Abiodun Onipede, on Saturday attempted to
kill himself over his inability to refund a loan of N50,000.
He was, however, prevented by the anti-vandalization team of
the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ogun State command.
He was said to have been prevented as he attempted to hang
himself by a member of the team who wanted to urinate in the bush.
Mr. Onipede, a commercial tricyclist, was reported to have
secured the loan from a micro-finance arrangement known as ‘Lapo.’
He was said to have 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
journalists that he worked with Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency,
TRACE, in Ogun State but was sacked.
He explained that his inability to perform his
responsibility as the head of the family led him to attempt suicide.
He 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.
“I am a 200-level drop-out of Federal College of Education,
Osiele, I dropped out because I could not get financial assistance to
continue,” he said.
“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
“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.
He, however, said he regretted his action and wanted a
second chance in life.
“I wish to go back to school; I want the government to help
me with a job that can cater for my family and other things that are
important,” the man said.
LAPO can write off 50k na...
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