A 65-year-old retired teacher who served in the Bauchi State Civil Service, Alhamdu Dan’azumi, has threatened to kill himself if his gratuity and pension are not paid on or before Friday, 8th March 2019.
The frustrated retiree while speaking with newsmen at the NUJ Secretariat, said that he took the decision out of frustration because he is unable to pay the huge debts hanging on his neck which has accumulated to over N800, 000 saying that he was a Primary School teacher who retired from active service with the Ningi Local Government Authority in 2016 and started collecting pension in 2018.
The father of 6 children said: “I came here to share my problems so that the Governor will hear. Honestly, I am greatly indebted to many people because I have been HIV positive for over 20 years now. I have suffered due to sicknesses I had over this period because of that I kept on collecting debts to take care of my health and I have not been able to pay. One of my daughters had an accident and I had to sell part of my house to settle her bills. But my greatest problem is over N800, 000.
“The truth is that I am in deep trouble because for a long time now, I cannot live a normal life, I cannot walk around freely in Ningi and that is why for the past 31 days I ran away from there. I promised them that by Friday, 8th March, I will pay them their money. I have vowed that if by that day (Friday, 8th March 2019), I am not paid my entitlements, I will hang myself or drink poison.”
He appealed to the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar to ensure that his gratuity and his nine months outstanding pension were paid so that he can live a normal life saying that his gratuity is over N1.6 million while his accumulated pension is over N200, 000.
He said: “I have worked for 35 years and retired and I am entitled to my pension and gratuity because I am suffering. I cannot even sit with my family because I can hardly cater for their needs, so I need my entitlements between now and Friday to pay all my debts, otherwise, let it be on record that I will kill myself.”
The retired Civil Servant said he is married to three wives and 6 children pointing out that he and one of his wives and two children are all HIV positive.
Earlier on, it took the prompt intervention of the few Journalists and others around to save the life of Alhamdu Dan’Azumi who on Monday reportedly walked into the premises of the NUJ Press Center and attempted to commit suicide for what he said was the refusal of the state government to settle his gratuity years after retirement from active service.
Alhamdu Dan’Azumi would have achieved his suicide mission but for the quick intervention of the Assistant Secretary of the NUJ State Council, Alhaji Kabiru Garba, who arrived the scene few minutes to the act and raised alarm before others joined him in the rescue effort.
While speaking with newsmen in his office, Kabiru Garba, narrated that he was at the Press Center at about 8 am to make ready one of the NUJ halls for a Workshop which was to take place today (Monday) when he met the man lurking around the premises of the Press Center looking for an appropriate place to carry out his suicide mission.
The frustrated retiree while speaking with newsmen at the NUJ Secretariat, said that he took the decision out of frustration because he is unable to pay the huge debts hanging on his neck which has accumulated to over N800, 000 saying that he was a Primary School teacher who retired from active service with the Ningi Local Government Authority in 2016 and started collecting pension in 2018.
The father of 6 children said: “I came here to share my problems so that the Governor will hear. Honestly, I am greatly indebted to many people because I have been HIV positive for over 20 years now. I have suffered due to sicknesses I had over this period because of that I kept on collecting debts to take care of my health and I have not been able to pay. One of my daughters had an accident and I had to sell part of my house to settle her bills. But my greatest problem is over N800, 000.
“The truth is that I am in deep trouble because for a long time now, I cannot live a normal life, I cannot walk around freely in Ningi and that is why for the past 31 days I ran away from there. I promised them that by Friday, 8th March, I will pay them their money. I have vowed that if by that day (Friday, 8th March 2019), I am not paid my entitlements, I will hang myself or drink poison.”
He appealed to the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar to ensure that his gratuity and his nine months outstanding pension were paid so that he can live a normal life saying that his gratuity is over N1.6 million while his accumulated pension is over N200, 000.
He said: “I have worked for 35 years and retired and I am entitled to my pension and gratuity because I am suffering. I cannot even sit with my family because I can hardly cater for their needs, so I need my entitlements between now and Friday to pay all my debts, otherwise, let it be on record that I will kill myself.”
The retired Civil Servant said he is married to three wives and 6 children pointing out that he and one of his wives and two children are all HIV positive.
Earlier on, it took the prompt intervention of the few Journalists and others around to save the life of Alhamdu Dan’Azumi who on Monday reportedly walked into the premises of the NUJ Press Center and attempted to commit suicide for what he said was the refusal of the state government to settle his gratuity years after retirement from active service.
Alhamdu Dan’Azumi would have achieved his suicide mission but for the quick intervention of the Assistant Secretary of the NUJ State Council, Alhaji Kabiru Garba, who arrived the scene few minutes to the act and raised alarm before others joined him in the rescue effort.
While speaking with newsmen in his office, Kabiru Garba, narrated that he was at the Press Center at about 8 am to make ready one of the NUJ halls for a Workshop which was to take place today (Monday) when he met the man lurking around the premises of the Press Center looking for an appropriate place to carry out his suicide mission.
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