Court Remands Student For Attempting To Commit Suicide With Rat Posion

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Minna on Tuesday ordered that a student, Suleman Ayuba, 19, who pleaded guilty to attempted suicide by taking rat poison, be remanded in prison, pending sentencing.

Magistrate Hauwa Yusuf, who gave the order after Mr Ayuba pleaded guilty, fixed September 16 for sentencing.

Mr Ayuba, who resides in Ungwan Daji, Minna, was charged with attempted suicide, contrary to the provisions of Section 231 of the Penal Code Law of Niger State.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Daniel Ikwoche, told the court that one Badamosi Abdullahi reported the matter on August 23.

Mr Ikwoche said the complainant, a noodles seller, alleged that on the same day at about 7 p.m., the defendant bought some and poured a pack of poison in it and ate it.

He said the defendant became unconscious afterwards and was taken to the hospital where he was revived.

When the charges were read to him, Mr Ayuba pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.

”I wanted to take my life because life is too hard for me as an orphan,” he told the court.