13th September, 2011
It was a pathetic sight at Ejigbo, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria when a man, Samuel Oyoma died in his room after he was rejected by several hospitals because he could not afford to pay N5,000 deposit so that his illness could be treated.
His neigbhours told P.M.NEWS that he fell ill and was taken to some hospitals where he was rejected because he could not afford the N5,000 the hospital demanded as deposit before he could be treated. He returned home dejected, P.M.NEWS gathered.
Samuel was found dead on his bed inside his room in the morning at the weekend at Chris Oladunni Street Ejigbo, Lagos.
Although neighbours did not suspect that Samuel might have committed suicide, he was found dead with some drugs beside him.
The late Samuel had sent his family home in Cross River State when he fell on bad times.
He had hoped to bring them back to Lagos when his finances improve. But he could not do so before he died.
According to one of his neighbours, Mrs. Helen Williams, Samuel took ill about three weeks ago. She said Samuel was battling to stay alive but nobody could lend him the N5,000 he needed for his treatment. Even his neighbours could not assist and they watched him die in pains.
Following his death, the police at Ejigbo Division arrested his landlord and some of his neighbours to explain what they knew about his death.
The landlord had gone to the station to report his death and inform the police that he did no know any of his relatives.
The body of the late Samuel has been deposited at Isolo General Hospital while the police have commenced full investigation of his death.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the residents are now contributing money to transport Samuel’s corpse to his home town for burial.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe