LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A POS operator in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, Umar Usman, has reportedly drank a locally made insecticide, popularly known as “Otapiapia,” in a move to kill himself over a N1.7m debt.
Umar, from Yola South LGA, made the suicide attempt after his arraignment following a criminal complaint by his friend, Mustapha Baraya, over the money.
His friend, of the same community, reportedly dragged him to court earlier this year, on 13 February, on the ground of ‘criminal misappropriation and breach of trust’.
The history of the case has it that Baraya gave Umar N1.9 million to operate a POS business, but he ‘misappropriated the money’, and refunded only N150,000.
Efforts by the complainant to recover the remaining N1.760m balance was not successful as Umar and his father kept deceiving him even after a judgment was delivered by the court.
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The court had, in the course of the case, ordered him to refund the money, giving him one month within which to do so, but he failed.
He and his father told the court they had a rice farm which was ready for harvest and that after the harvest, they would refund the money, but they secretly harvested the crop without refunding the money.
The court then ordered that Umar’s house, which was given to him by his father, be disposed of.
Apparently dissatisfied with the order, Usman, who came prepared with a bottle of the Otapiapia to the court at its sitting on 17 July, entered the Chamber of the Judge, Hon. Shehu Mustapha and emptied the substance in his mouth.
According to reports, Usman fell down instantly, started vomiting, became unconscious, and was rushed to the hospital.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no comment by the Police on the incidence.