A 25-year-old man identified as Bulus Asuma committed suicide in Jos, Plateau State, over the loss of two tricycles belonging to his employers to robbers on Wednesday 19th October 2022.
Asuma a resident of Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area is said to have hung himself in his room when he returned home the day the second tricycle was dispossessed from him by a gun-wielding man.
A family member, Mr. Adukuchili Angai, who spoke with the newsmen stated that Asuma might have taken his own life out of frustration.
According to him, the deceased had lost a tricycle to thieves which he took on hire purchase some time ago, and unfortunately lost the second one, in the same manner, an incident he said left him devastated.
“At the beginning of this year, Asuma got a tricycle from a woman on hire purchase, to be remitting an amount to her weekly. Sadly, he borrowed the tricycle to his friend to ride but it was stolen from him,”
“The woman who gave him the tricycle got him arrested and he stayed over a week in the police cell until he was released and asked to pay for the tricycle on an agreed amount weekly.
“He paid for a few weeks and could not continue. He approached another person for another tricycle this time to work and make remittances on a daily basis, to be able to raise funds and pay back his former employee.
“Luck however ran out on him on October 13 when he was returning home from work when an armed man dispossessed him of the tricycle.
“He came home devastated and met some of his friends to whom he explained what had happened and threatened to kill himself.
“No one took him seriously and he went home. His aunt returned home from her business and did not see him, which she said was unusual because he always returned home before 7 pm due to the ban on tricycles operating beyond 6:30 pm.
“She, however, noticed his window was open, and upon peeping through it, she discovered him hanging by a rope lifeless.
“Her loud screaming attracted neighbors, after which she called us on phone and we immediately reported the matter to the police in Nasarawa Gwom.”
Angai said a man suspected to be the thief who snatched the deceased’s tricycle was arrested by the police.
He said the suspect is notorious for his criminal activities in the community, and he was spotted by friends during Asuma’s funeral on October 15.
He said a mob went to the suspect’s apartment and recovered 10 motorcycles, as well as “fake” military and police identity cards, adding that the mob also stormed the Nasarawa Gwom police station where the suspect was detained, overwhelmed the officers, and burnt him to death.
Angai described Asuma as an easygoing and hardworking man, adding that the deceased was an orphan.
Meanwhile, Alabo Alfred, police spokesperson in Plateau, said the incident is being investigated, while efforts are on to ensure that those who killed the suspect are being arrested.
