Man sets self on fire to protest harsh economy

A yet to be identified man reportedly set himself on fire, Wednesday, at the entrance of Omole Estate, Phase 1, Lagos.  At press time yesterday, doctors at Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre were still battling to revive the man, who was still unconscious.

He reportedly suffered third degree burns. Eyewitnesses said the man, aged about 28 years, rushed out from nowhere at about 3p.m., lamenting that efforts to make ends meet met brick walls and threatened to commit suicide to end it all. He then poured a substance suspected to be fuel all over his body and struck a match, setting himself ablaze. Stunned, onlookers, according to an eyewitness, Mitcheal Ode, “attempted to put out the fire.

“However, the man kept running around in pains. That made people run away from him to avoid being caught in the fire. “By the time the fire was eventually put out, he had collapsed, unconscious.” Policemen from Ogudu later rushed the man to the hospital.

Vanguard learned, yesterday, that no one had showed up at the hospital or Police station as the man’s relative. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident, said: “The case is attempted suicide. The state’s Commissioner of Police directed that the man be taken to the hospital and as soon as he recovers, investigation on the attempted suicide will commence.”