12-year-old Boy Allegedly Commits Suicide in Delta

A bizarre incident occurred last weekend at Ugbuwangue area in Warri, Delta State, when a 12-year-old Junior Secondary School student purportedly committed suicide. The boy, simply identified as Godwin, was said to be living with his paternal uncle prior to the incident last weekend. The victim was allegedly found dead by the housemaid inside his room with the rope he probably used to hang himself by a window protector.

An eyewitness said the family housemaid only discovered the unfortunate incident when one of their neighbours told her on return from an errand that Godwin unusually refused to answer his calls to help him wash his car. “It was an attempt to look for Godwin, with the intent of conveying the neighbour’s message that the domestic aide saw his lifeless body with his tongue out and his legs swinging,” the source disclosed. THISDAY gathered that the maid allegedly screamed in shock and their neighbours who came around, called Godwin’s Uncle, Mr. Okotie-Eboh, and his wife.

Okotie-Eboh, it was learnt, apparently in shock and confusion on whether to report the incident to the police, immediately called his wife younger sister’s husband to come and drive him to the Police Station, but sympathisers had to reach elders of Ugbuwangue community, considering the taboo done as far as the Itsekiri tradition was concerned. Sources said the community elders reportedly brought masquerades to cut off the rope around the boy’s neck.

While they were making arrangements to bury him in accordance with Itsekiri custom, the Police came to the scene and ordered that the corpse be taken to the mortuary. Effort to get the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Celestina Kalu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), proved abortive as her phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.