Benue teenager found hanging from roof

A teenage boy identified as Tersoo Veregh has been found hanging from the roof of his father’s house on Lorkyaako Street, High Level area of Makurdi, Benue State.

It is  learnt on Sunday from counterinsurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, in a post shared on X, that the incident occurred on Saturday.

According to Makama, the father of the teenage boy had woken up around 2 a.m. to discover that his son was hanging in what was suspected to be a case of suicide.

He noted that police officers from a division in the area visited the scene of the incident and recovered the body to a morgue.

When contacted for a reaction on Sunday, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident.

She noted that the police have commenced an investigation into the matter.

“We are aware of the incident, and for now, the investigation is ongoing on the matter,” Edet said in a telephone conversation.

This incident adds to a worrying rise in suicide-related cases reported in Benue State and across Nigeria.

In July 2024,report that a 17-year-old secondary school student in Gboko reportedly committed suicide after facing academic and social pressure.

Similarly, in 2023, a 14-year-old girl in Benue allegedly took her life after being scolded for a suspected pregnancy.

In another case, a 42-year-old native doctor in the state was found hanging after being declared missing for days.

Experts have attributed the growing cases of suicide in Nigeria to economic hardship, family conflicts, and untreated mental health issues.

Psychiatrists interviewed Healthwise linked the rising trend to poor access to mental healthcare and social support.