Undergraduate, JSS1 student commit suicide in Ogun

A 400-level female student of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, identified as Adaze Doris Jaja, has committed suicide.

Confirming the incident yesterday, spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, said the incident happened on January 27, when Oduniyi Adelaja, the director of Be-Happy Hotel in Ago Iwoye, reported to the Divisional Police Officer that a distressing discovery was made in one of the hotel rooms.

It was learnt that one Adebayo Israel found Jaja lying unconscious and foaming at the mouth. Beside her was an empty bottle of a popular pesticide associated with suicide cases.

The Guardian learnt that with help of others, Jaja was rushed to Best Care Hospital before being transferred to Love and Care Hospital in Ago Iwoye.

Despite efforts to save her life, the female student succumbed to the hands of death at the hospital.

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Odutola said a thorough investigation was launched, and the scene of the tragedy examined. According to her, the empty pesticide bottle, believed to be a crucial piece of evidence, was recovered at the site.

“To unravel the circumstances leading to Jaja’s tragic end, her body has been taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University mortuary for an autopsy,” she added.

Meanwhile, news of Jaja’s suicide sent shockwaves throughout the university community, prompting discussions about mental health support services and the overall well-being of students.

As the investigation unfolds, friends, family, and the university community are left grappling with the loss of a promising young life, emphasizing the urgent need for mental health awareness and support mechanisms within academic institutions.

Relatedly, a Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1 student of a private primary school in Obada-Oko, Abdul-Rahman Sanusi, reportedly took his own life, leaving the school management and immediate community questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The teenager reportedly took his own life shortly after being scolded by his parents for arriving late from school.

The school head, Olusesi Taiwo, expressed disbelief, saying: “That day was not the first time he went home late. And the scolding they said the parents gave him was not true because, even if the parents had scolded him, they would have scolded all three of them (alongside his two siblings).”

Also, a teacher in the school, Muhammed Salami, refuted claims of academic stress or bullying, describing Sanusi as an active and cheerful boy who even played football on the day of the tragic incident.

Salami said the school had not observed any signs of psychological distress in the student.

A resident, who did not want his name in the print, expressed surprise that a young JSS1 student could contemplate suicide. He suggested the boy might have faced underlying issues and urged parents to pay close attention to their children, look out for signs of distress, and offer support.