New Telegraph

UNIBEN staff commits suicide over unpaid salary

A member of staff of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prince Carter Oshodin, on Friday committed suicide in Umelu Community, Upper Sakponba over his poor financial situation.

Oshodin, who has not been paid salaries for months due to the strike action embarked on by University Unions, was data entry personnel at the University.
It was gathered that the Non – Academic Staff Union (NASU), which the deceased belonged to, called off its strike recently,  but the members were yet to be paid.

Oshodin’s Facebook confirmed his job description at UNIBEN, while the deceased who described himself as Craze J. A message on his profile page reads, “Leave a good legacy behind before you depart”.

A professor in the University, who would not want his name mentioned due to the emotional nature of the case, said it is disheartening that they have not been paid since the strike action began and also wondered why those who called off their strike are still not being paid by the government.

He said: “Yes, one of our staff killed himself due to lack of money. Even some months ago, he was quoted to have been advising people on coping strategies and yet he took his life which has put his family in a bigger problem.

“We have been paid no dime since we went on strike. This is the 10th of September; the non academic staffs who have since resumed have not been paid anything. Boko Haram! No to Western education!!

Another colleague simply known as Edward said the Late Oshodin on his Facebook page lamented that he could not meet his financial obligations and was finding it increasingly difficult to pay his two daughters’ school fees.

He said: “He committed suicide on Friday and according to a post on his Facebook, he said he was facing financial difficulties and could not pay the school fees of his two young daughters. It is a pathetic situation.”

Edo State Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Chidi Nwabuzor said that the matter was not reported to the police but the DPO of the area went to the community for on the spot assessment where the community head confirmed the incident.

He also said that the body has been taken away by the family of the deceased.

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