A
mentally unstable person, Joel Uduak, has committed suicide by hanging
himself at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital in Calabar, Cross River
State.
The incident, which happened around 2am
on Sunday, allegedly took the medical staff by surprise as the hospital
had ensured that its structures were built to make suicide impossible.
A source, who craved anonymity, said Uduak quietly left his room to commit suicide without suspicion from his roommates.
The source said Uduak, who was in his
late 20s had been an out-patient until he was admitted three weeks ago
when his situation became critical.
She said, “The guy was an intelligent
patient. He did not give any sign that he was going to commit suicide as
others do by expressing frustration.
“He tactically left his room around 2am
when others were still asleep and went to the bathroom where he found a
way of using his bed sheet to strangulate himself despite measures put
in place to discourage that.
“For instance, the bathroom widows are
very low and there are not steel showers, but this man still found a way
to use the window.
“He is not a new patient. He’s been on and off, but only admitted three weeks ago when his situation became worse.”
Confirming the report to PUNCH Metro on
Monday, the Head of Clinical Services Department of the hospital, Dr.
Essien Ekpe, said the patient’s action took everyone by surprise as he
did not show any sign that he was overwhelmed by his ailment.
Although Ekpe said it was the second
suicide ever recorded in the hospital since it became a federal
institution in 1995, he added that Uduak was very skilful in the manner
in which he committed the suicide.
He said, “This man collected his
medication. He related with other inmates very well. We felt he was
getting ready for discharge.
“Usually, when we suspect that a patient
is showing signs of depression, we normally put such patient on
surveillance and every movement is monitored. But Uduak did not display
those tendencies.
“He was already asleep as
at light out which is normally 12.30am but sneaked out of the room. The
doctor only confirmed around 2am that he was dead when an inmate that
went to ease himself raised the alarm.”PUNCH
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