Lagos Tenant Commits Suicide Over Rent Increase Of N25,000

A man known as Baale or Radical killed himself after receiving an eviction notice for overdue rent.

He lived in a room on Moshalashi Road in the Egan, Igando region of Lagos State.

On Sunday, April 28, he reportedly drank a toxic chemical, presumed to be an insecticide.

Meanwhile, previous to his death, he confided in his wife about his inability to afford the higher annual rent of N60,000, up from N35,000, implying that she would soon lament his departure.

“He had had an altercation with his wite after his landlord issued a quit notice to him for not meeting up with the increased rent of N60,000 for their one- room apartment.

“The rent was initially N35,000, and he struggled to pay it. This made him tell his wife that he may lose him soon as pressure is mounting up for him already.

“He came home from Iba yesterday where he went to chill with his friends only for him to call a young man (name withheld) he would commit suicide with the bottle of insecticide he was holding. The young man immediately ran to his wife after luring him to stop, and they all called for help.

“Before they could return to where he was, he had already taken the substance and was given antidotes to make sure that he was stable and taken to hospital for proper treatment.

“They got a bus and when they got to the hospital at 11 pm, he was confirmed dead,” he added.

However, Benjamin Hundeyin, the state Police Public Relations Officer, indicated that he had not yet been informed of the occurrence by the area's Divisional Police Officer.