A teenage boy identified as Tersoo Veregh was discovered dead after allegedly hanging himself from the roof of his father’s residence located on Lorkyaako Street, High Level area of Makurdi, Benue State.
According to information obtained on Sunday from counterinsurgency expert Zagazola Makama, who shared the incident in a post on X, the tragedy occurred on Saturday.
Makama revealed that the deceased’s father woke up around 2 a.m. and found his son hanging, in what was suspected to be a suicide. He added that police operatives from a nearby division visited the scene and removed the body to a morgue.
Makama stated, “The deceased’s father discovered the tragic scene at about 2:00 a.m. on October 4 when he came out of his room to ease himself and found his son hanging from the roof of the building. Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer in ‘B’ Division, Makurdi, led a team of detectives to the scene. The corpse was photographed and later evacuated to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital mortuary.”
When contacted on Sunday, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, confirmed the development, noting that investigations were already underway.
She said, “We are aware of the incident, and for now, the investigation is ongoing on the matter.”
The incident adds to a growing list of suicide-related cases recorded in Benue and other parts of Nigeria.
In July 2024, a 17-year-old secondary school student in Gboko reportedly took his own life after experiencing academic and social pressure. Similarly, in 2023, a 14-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide after being reprimanded over a suspected pregnancy.
In another instance, a 42-year-old native doctor was also found hanging after being declared missing for several days.
Experts have linked the increasing rate of suicides in Nigeria to factors such as economic hardship, family disputes, and untreated mental health conditions.
Psychiatrists interviewed by PUNCH Healthwise further attributed the worrying trend to limited access to mental healthcare and inadequate social support.
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