A 48-year-old Ondo state indigene, Abdulrazak Wasiu, committed suicide by hanging himself at their Gado Nasko residence in Kubwa, Federal Capital Territory, for allegedly not being able to make money to buy ram for slaughtering during the Sallh today and inability to provide enough for his family to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir.

Wasiu, who has six children was reported to have retired to bed hale and hearty late yesterday night, but was found dangling from his bedroom ceiling fan at about 7 a.m today.

His wife, Mrs. Rekiya Wasiu, told newsmen that her attention was drawn to the body of her husband which hung from the ceiling of their room by their 4-year-old son.

“I slept in the children’s room last night because my first child was ill and it was too late to take her to the hospital, since we all believed she would get better after some self-medications.

“I told my husband to go to bed that I will join him, only for me to have slept off in the children’s room.

“Earlier yesterday, my husband had complained bitterly that we may not be able to celebrate the ‘Ileya’ in a grand style as we intended. I told him all will be well, that a miracle could happen before morning. All through yesterday, he was moody,” she sobbed.

“A neighbour called me at about 5 p.m yesterday to say that he saw my husband at abattoir, where they sell rams and cows. He said my husband was probably negotiating to buy one. He said he later saw him sitting on the floor with his hand on his chin. I called my husband to please come back home but he said if he didn’t buy the biggest ram, he would rather kill himself. I thought it was just a joke. He however, came home much later empty handed and we laughed over everything.”

The woman lamented, saying that she did not know what to do next, asking: “where do I start from? How can I bear the shame that my husband killed himself because he couldn’t provide Sallah for his family? What kind of life is this?”

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kubwa Police station, Chief Superintendent Nurudeen Sabo , confirmed the incident and said: “wonders shall never end.”

She said, “We are Muslims and we don’t keep dead bodies for too long. I have contacted our kinsmen in the resident and they are on their way.

As at press time, however, the kinsmen were yet to arrive the scene. The corpse was wrapped with white linen in a mat and deposited at the balcony. [myad]

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed worry over what he called, the deepening frency of hate, intolerance and bigotry amongst the different Nigerian nationalities.

This is even as he appealed to such Nigerians to rid their hearts and minds of hate, intolerance and prejudice, which he said promote violent conflicts and destruction of life and property in the country.

In his Sallah message on the occasion of Eid-el Kabir celebration, the former Vice President stressed that every passing day, he is saddened by the “deepening frenzy of hate, intolerance and bigotry”, which produce toxic effects on unity and harmony among Nigerians.

Atiku appealed to Nigerians to use religion to create a conflict free society, reminding them that love is the universal language of all the world’s religions.

He also advised Muslims and other Nigerians to be good ambassadors of the teachings of their own religions, even as he particularly appealed to the Muslims to pay greater attention to stemming and eliminating poisonous extremist tendencies by ensuring that people with violent ideologies are not allowed to influence the innocent in the wrong direction.

Atiku called on Muslims to always speak with one voice against extremism because of the great harm it has been causing the image of Islam and its adherents, adding that the greatest honour Muslims can do to their religion is to live by its virtues.

The former Vice President said that the virtues of Eid-el Kabir should not be treated as a transient attraction and forgotten soon after the celebration was over.

Atiku, who is the Turaki Adamawa spoke on the hardship among ordinary Nigerians and called on Muslim leaders to identify with the plight of the people. He urged well-to-do Muslims to contribute in their own ways to job creation instead of expecting the government to carry the entire burden. [myad]

Ebonyi State Government, Engineer David Umahi has promised to provide some quantities of Ebonyi rice, popularly known as Abakaliki rice to the victims of Boko Haram that are being sheltered in the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps.
He also promised to give the same items to soldiers that are fighting Boko  Haram’s war in the North East.
The governor made the promise when he visited the Chief of defence staff, Brigadier General Abayomi Olonishakin, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
Governor Umahi praised the Nigerian Army for their gallant efforts towards ending the insurgence in the North- East, adding that the people of Ebonyi State would give  necessary support to the Army at any time.
“I want to appreciate you and your wonderful team. I want to once again thank you. In the next 10 days, we will bring some quantities of rice to assist your boys and also to the governor of Borno State, to assist the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
“You have recorded tremendous success in dealing with this sect (Boko Haram) and I want to tell you that the people of Ebonyi State are very happy about that. Since the insurgence started, we have lost no  fewer than three personnel and the same thing has happened to other sections of the country.”
The governor assured the Defence chief that the people of Ebonyi would continue to pray for the Army until the insurgents were routed even as he recalled that the military played key roles in resolving past crises in Ezillo as well as those between Ebonyi State and its neigbours.
“We had issues with Cross Rivers; we had issues with Enugu and we had issues with Abia. We also had internal problems which is Ezillo. The Army played important roles and was very much instrumental to the peace we have in the state.”