UNIBEN Worker Commits Suicide Over Unpaid Salaries

A member of staff of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prince Carter Oshodin committed suicide on Friday in Umelu Community, Upper Sakponba over his financial situation.

Oshodin, who has not been paid salaries for months due to the strike action embarked by university unions, is a data entry personnel at the school.

It was learnt that the Non-academic Staff Union which the deceased belong to has called off its strike recently, but its members were still yet to be paid.

Oshodin’s Facebook confirmed his job description at UNIBEN, while the deceased, who described himself as ‘Craze J. A’ message on his profile page reads: “Leave a good legacy behind before you depart”.

A professor at the university, who would not want his name mentioned due to the emotional nature of the case, said it is disheartening that they have not been paid since the strike action began and also wondered why those who called off their strike have still not been paid by the government.

“Yes, one of our staff killed himself due to lack of money. Even some months ago, he was quoted to have been advising people on coping strategies and yet he took his life which has put his family in a bigger problem.

“We have been paid no dime since we went on strike. This is the 10th of September; the non-academic staff that have since resumed have not been paid anything!”