A man, popularly identified as Baale or Radical, has reportedly taken his life over his inability to pay house rent in Lagos.
According to report, the man was issued a notice to quit his apartment for not being able to pay his annual rent of N60, 000. This was after the rent was raised from N35,000 increased to N60, 000 by the landlord.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Baale, who lived in a room apartment on Moshalashi Road, Egan, in the Igando area of Lagos State, died on Sunday night. He was said to have died after he drank a poisonous substance suspected to be an insecticide.
PUNCH Metro quoted a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. It said the deceased had reportedly told his wife that she would soon cry because of his inability to pay for their house rent.
“He had had an altercation with his wife after his landlord issued a quit notice to him for not meeting up with the increased rent of N60,000 for their one-room apartment.
“The rent was initially N35,000, and he struggled to pay it. This made him tell his wife that he might lose him soon as pressure was mounting up for him already.
“He came home from Iba yesterday (Sunday) where he went to chill with his friends. Only for him to call a young man (name withheld) that he would commit suicide. He showed him the bottle of insecticide he was holding. The young man immediately ran to his wife after luring him to stop, and they all called for help.
“But, before they could return to where he was, he had already taken the substance. They, however, gave him antidotes to make sure that he was stable and taken to a hospital for proper treatment.
“They got a bus and when they got to the hospital at 11pm, he was confirmed dead,” the source added.
The deceased was survived by his four children and wife.
PUNCH Metro stated that the wife of the deceased man declined to speak when she was called on Monday.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said he had not received a report on the incident. He said he waiting for report from the area’s Divisional Police Officer.
“I will get back to you when I get the report. But I have yet to get anything from the area’s DPO,” the PPRO said.
source: PUNCH
