A 20-year-old student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Sanni Hameedat, reportedly took her own life after facing pressure due to financial obligations linked to lending money to a social media acquaintance she met on Snapchat.
According to a statement from the private hostel management where Hameedat was residing, before her tragic demise, she was involved in her Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) program.
The statement revealed that the cause of her death was associated with the financial pressures resulting from her dealings with the Snapchat contact.
This individual had reportedly requested the sum of N500,000, claiming it was urgently needed for his mother, who was said to be battling breast cancer.
Hameedat decided to help and lent the individual half of the N1 million sum she held, which was meant for her mother.
The boy promised to repay the borrowed funds; however, when the money was required by her mother, he cut off all contact and blocked Hameedat.
To replace the missing N500,000, she began borrowing money from various loan apps. She managed to amass N450,000 from these loans and added her savings of N50,000 to fulfil the borrowed amount.
The Herald reports that the hostel management reported that on the night before her death, Hameedat consumed a bottle of the pesticide known as Sniper.
Her roommate, who had gone to bed early, awoke in the middle of the night to find her in severe distress, foaming from the mouth, and vomiting.
Alarmed, the roommate sought assistance, and Hameedat was rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH). Tragically, she was declared dead.
Despite the terrible nature of the event, the Dean of the Student Affairs Unit, Prof M.T. Yakubu, and Kunle Akogun, Head of Corporate Affairs, were unable to provide comments due to their involvement in the institution’s combined convocation ceremony.
However, the Student Union President, Ologundudu Adesunkanmi, commonly referred to as Royal Prince, confirmed the incident and supported the narration of the hostel management.
He disclosed that the Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Student Affairs were aware of the issue and had initiated an investigation.