It's always sad to report stories like this about Nigerians in diaspora.
An inquest into the death of a Nigerian detainee, Riliwanu Balogun who was found hanged at a Young Offender’s Institute in the UK a day after his 21st birthday in 2011 has revealed he killed himself because he feared being sent back to Nigeria.
According to a BBC Report, Balogun moved to the UK when he was seven years old and spent much of his childhood in institutions.
A senior prison officer, Paul Mayfield said at the hearing that he was scared of being deported back to Nigeria. “He
told me he had nothing to live for. He said ‘I’ll be deported back to
Nigeria. I’ve got no-one back there. I’ll be living in the slums’.” BBC reports.
In April 2011, Balogun was transferred to Glen Parva Young Offender’s Institute
in Leicester, which holds men aged 18 to 21. But on May 8, 2011, he was
found hanged in his cell. The morning he was found hanged, he was
assessed by staff after cutting himself.
It was reported that he was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary after staff tried to revive him but died a week later.
The hearing also revealed he had a
string of previous convictions and that at the end of April he struggled
to speak to a nurse because he was sobbing so hard.
It’s really shocking to hear such news
which speaks very little of the living standards and quality of life
here in Nigeria. He was only 21 and killed himself because he feared
being deported back to Nigeria, a place where he knew no one and would
probably live in the slums. May his soul rest in peace.
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May his soul rest in peace
ReplyDeleteR.i.p.p....!
ReplyDeleteVery shocking and his mental illness should have properly been looked into. Poor thing, may his soul rest in perfect peace. I feel very sorry for him.
ReplyDeleteNigerians are very ressilent! Nigeria is not as bad as they make it sound to those in diaspora. He should have been helped as I suspect he was suffering from depression. May his soul rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteI dont blame them, i blame nigeria govt those day our people just go to school there and come back joyfully. But due to naija problem people overthere are not ready to come back home.
ReplyDeleteIts unfortunate. May his soul rest in peace. A lesson to otheers. He lived in uk since he was 7 so why where they deporting him? Secondly,are human not living in nigeria. Is it not the same nig that diff countries are coming to do biz in? Nig is poorly developed I agree, but we are still better than a lot that live out there. His death was for nothing. R.I.p
ReplyDeleteRest in peace. He suffered depression indeed.
ReplyDeleteI think the British institutions and government failed this young chap. He was obviously mentally ill and no body cared! May God grant him peace.
ReplyDeletemay his soul RIP.
ReplyDeleteThe boy sees Nigeria as an unruly lawless nation and prefers to be in their infirmary than live a free life here. Obviously, it means the life in the prisons of other nations is more bearable than living on the streets of Nigeria. Too bad!
ReplyDelete