By Peter Uwumarogie
Tragedy struck in Kaltungo community, Gombe State, as a 16-year-old girl, Maryam Samuel, was found dead in an apparent suicide, sparking speculation over the circumstances leading to her demise.
The spokesperson of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, confirmed the incident on Saturday, stating that the teenager was discovered hanging from a tree in the Kalarin area.
According to Abdullahi, the distressing discovery was reported to Kaltungo Divisional Headquarters by the village head of Kalarin on Friday at about 9:00 a.m.
“The deceased, later identified as Maryam Samuel, 16, from Kalarin ward, was found hanging from a tree at Kalarin Mountain. There were no marks of violence on her body,” he said.
He added that Maryam’s body had been deposited at the General Hospital, Kaltungo, while an investigation was ongoing to uncover the full circumstances surrounding her death.
Preliminary findings indicated that Maryam had left home on Thursday to fetch firewood but never returned.
However, a source close to the family, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the teenager was pregnant, reportedly by her boyfriend. The source claimed the pregnancy had triggered a confrontation with her parents after they discovered her frequent visits to the alleged lover.
Authorities have not confirmed these claims, but further investigations are expected to shed more light on the tragic incident. (NAN)
