LINUS OOTA reports the sad tale of a university student who allegedly took her own life in Nasarawa State because she was jilted by her lover.
It all came like a bolt from the blue. Not even the closest confidant of Miss Sarah Maikefi thought she could end her own life in such a sudden and gruesome manner at her young age. But that was exactly what the 100-level student of Microbiology at Nassarawa State University did in reaction to a failed relationship.
For years, her parents reveled in her academic progress, holding her up as their source of pride as they plotted her path to a sustainable future. But Sara kept her unwholesome plans to her chest until she took the plunge after her second semester examination on December 8.
Sarah, the last born in a family of four children, who until her death looked hale and hearty, waited to round off her second semester exams before retiring quietly into her apartment and bolting the door after the merry making that followed the students’ completion of their first year. She then took a keg containing a poisonous substance suspected to be an agrochemical and gulped its contents.
Students and Neighbours were said to have made efforts to lessen the impact of the poisonous substance by forcing some palm oil down her throat, but it was too late.
Sara’s cousin, Miss Patience Maikefi, who is also a student of the school, said the deceased had called her on the phone after completing her semester examinations on Friday afternoon, saying that she was tired of everything and could not bear it any longer.
Patience, who spoke amid tears, said on reaching the university clinic, she was informed that her cousin had died from the consumption of a poisonous substance suspected to be either sniper or agrochemical.
“We used to see her with a young man who was coming here regularly. They were usually in loved-up scenarios and appeared to have bonded.
“We tried to find out what was wrong with her but she kept everything to herself and managed to do the second semester examination.
“She was actually not looking happy or excited throughout the period of the examination.
“We became suspicious when she entered her room after her last paper and did not come out for a long time. We knocked on her door but there was no response.
“Initially, we felt she might have slept off as a result of fatigue from the hectic nights of the exam period. But when she still did not come out after a while, we forced her door open only to discover that she had consumed a chemical and her condition was so bad.”
“We quickly found the means to rush her to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.”
Danjuma said the late Sarah actually showed some signs of depression, but she did not leave any suicide note to explaining the reason for her action.
He said: “She did not drop any written note. Neither did she talk to anybody on the reason for her action before she passed on.
“While we were taking her to the hospital, we asked her to tell us the reason for her action, but she did not respond. It was obvious that the non-appearance of the guy around the girl took her happiness away.”
A close friend of the late Sarah, who pleaded anonymity, said she had earlier called to inform her that she had completed her last semester examinations and needed to take a little rest before going to Akwanga.
She noted that a few hours after their telephone conversation, she did not respond to her calls or return them until he was later informed that Sarah had committed suicide.
She added that Sarah had been suffering from depression following alleged betrayer by her boyfriend and she had contemplated suicide on several occasions.
“She told me that the guy she held close to heart cheated on her and abandoned her while she loved him with all her heart. She said she did not want to live anymore, and that killing herself would be the ultimate solution.
“I kept telling her never to harm herself because of someone else, and that I had also felt that way before but had to control my emotions.
“I told her that there is no situation that is more important than your life. Consider yourself wounded and allow a healing process to occur.
“I know it is very painful. What the guy did to her was wrong, but the only way to it is through it. You can’t escape pain, but you can make something beautiful from it.
“Surround yourself with people who genuinely care for you and lean on them. It is okay to be hurt sometimes, and pains only make us grow.
“Just remember that every heart break will lead you to the right person. That was my advice to the late Sarah.”
The late Sarah was buried a few days ago in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The Nasarawa State Police Command said it had commenced investigation into the alleged suicide by the 100-level Microbiology student.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, said the personnel of the Angwan Lambu Police Division in Keffi had been deployed to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the said suicide.
When our correspondent visited Sarah’s family house in Akwanga, none of the family members present was willing to talk about the sad end of their daughter.
