Police detain jobless Nigerian youth for ‘trying to leave the world’
An unemployed man, Solomon Okon, has been in police custody for over a month for allegedly drinking a poisonous substance.
It was learnt that the 21-year-old, who was a porter at Havana Hospital, Surulere, Lagos, drank the substance after receiving a letter terminating his employment.
A relative of Okon told Punch Metro that the incident happened in August, adding that the suspect had since been charged.
He said, “Okon was working at Havana Hospital and receiving N35,000 a month. He was squatting with a friend and was using part of the money to take care of his mother in Akwa Ibom State. In August, he received a letter terminating his employment.
“Out of frustration, he ingested a poisonous substance. However, because it all happened in the hospital, he was quickly attended to and he was able to recover to some extent. The hospital management reported the matter to the Barracks Police Station and he was arrested and detained.”
Punch Metro learnt that the police arraigned Okon before the Yaba Magistrates’ Court for attempted suicide.
Okon, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It was learnt that the magistrate granted Okon bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties.
A relative told Punch Metro that there was no way the family could afford the sum.
He said, “This young man tried to commit suicide because of poverty and frustration. Rather than get him a job, he is being detained and money is being demanded from him. Indeed, Nigeria is a crazy country. This young man needs help. He needs assistance. He needs medical attention and counselling.
“The hospital tried by giving him medical treatment, but it shouldn’t have reported the guy to the police. Now, we are all running all over the place. We need human rights lawyers to assist us.”
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Okon was still in police custody.
“The case has been taken to court. He was arraigned on August 28, 2020 before Magistrate N. Patrick of Court 2, Yaba. The case was adjourned till October 15, 2020. The court remanded him in police facility in Surulere,” he said
Attempts to get a reaction from the hospital proved abortive as a representative refused to speak on the matter and asked our correspondent to visit the facility.
“You will need to come to the hospital. This is not a matter that we can discuss on the telephone,” she said.
Attempted suicide is a criminal offence in Nigeria under Section 327 of the Criminal Code, and it attracts a penalty of up to one-year imprisonment, which human rights groups describe as immoral.
According to the 2016 Global Health Observatory data repository of the World Health Organisation, there is an estimated 9.5 suicides per 100,000 Nigerians.
Reports have it that the figure may now be higher due to a worsening unemployment rate and rising poverty levels.
