Man kills self over inability to bury his mother

Juliana Francis

A 45-year-old man, simply identified as Fubara, has killed himself at the Mgbidi area of Orlu West Local Government Area of Imo State, over his inability to bury his mother.

According to residents, Fabara committed suicide on Wednesday by tying an electrical wire to the ceiling fan and then tied the wire around his neck. The incident occurred at about 6.30p.m. It was also gathered that Fabara, had been threatening to kill himself for months over financial challenges.

It was further said that he had attempted suicide on Tuesday, but was caught in the act and rescued.

He was said to have killed him moments after his second wife, who was nursing a seven-month-old stepped out of their home. Fabara had a first wife, but things had fallen apart between them, leading to the woman walking out of the marriage.  It was also gathered that the woman had, “many children for him.”

The woman returned to discover that the door was locked from the inside. After repeatedly banging on the door without getting a response, she peeped through the window, saw his dangling form and screamed, alerting members of the community.

The deceased is from Rivers State, but his mother is an indigene of Mgbidi.

A member of the community, who wishes to be simply identified as Dike, said: “On that Wednesday, he sent his wife to the market to purchase food items and then carried out the act. By the time the wife returned from the market, she discovered that the door to their apartment was locked from inside. She peeped through the window and saw the lifeless body of her husband dangling from the ceiling where he had used wire from an electric iron to tie to the ceiling fan and hung himself. He had on Tuesday, attempted to kill himself but was stopped by his friend.”

Dike further added: “The deceased’s mother died a year ago and is still at Saint Felix Mortuary in Mgbidi, waiting for burial.”

Dike disclosed that just last week, he engaged the troubled Fabara in a discussion, whereby the deceased complained bitterly of the economic hardship in the country and how it was affecting him.

Our correspondent gathered that the Fabara used to own a block industry in Uli, Anambra State. When his business nosedived, he went to work in his uncle’s block industry.

Our correspondent also learnt that a close friend of the deceased stop his suicide attempt on Tuesday. The friend works with him in his uncle’s block industry.

“As at the time I left the scene of the crime, the young man's lifeless body was still dangling from the ceiling,” said Dike. “The devastated wife had been wailing since last night. The uncle is making arrangements to notify the police and the traditional authority about the incident. Had it been he was an indigene of Mgbidi, the body would had been brought down after performing some traditional rites, and taken to the evil forest. Since he is from Rivers State, we don't know precisely if he would be taken to the evil forest.”

He further said: “I gathered that Fabara had been suicidal for quite a long time. Before now, he had been telling people that he was going to die as he didn’t have money to bury his mother. People who knew him very well attested that he had issue with mental health for a long time. He used to threaten his former wife with machete.”