Tragedy in Niger State: Grief-Stricken Hunter Takes His Own Life After Wife’s Death

A profound tragedy has rocked Ikumi village in Niger State as a 30-year-old hunter, Stephen Moses, allegedly took his own life following the death of his youngest wife. The devastating incident occurred on April 24, 2025, in the remote Gawu-Babangida area of Gurara Local Government Area, leaving the community in shock and mourning.

Moses, a well-known local hunter, reportedly turned his dane gun, a traditional hunting firearm, on himself. Witnesses said he shot himself in the chest while on his farm, ending his life in an act of deep sorrow that neighbors say had been long forewarned.

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Community Shocked by Hunter’s Suicide After Loss

According to accounts from neighbours, Moses had repeatedly threatened to commit suicide after the passing of his youngest wife, expressing a profound sense of loss and despair. Despite these alarming warnings, it appears no serious interventions were made. His tragic end has now stirred regret among locals, who admitted that they had not taken his threats seriously.

Eyewitnesses revealed that when the police arrived at the scene, they found Moses’ lifeless body beside the dane gun. Officers promptly secured the scene and transported his remains to a nearby hospital for official procedures.

Confirming the heartbreaking incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, expressed deep sorrow over the avoidable loss. He disclosed that the police were only notified after the suicide had already occurred.

“On 24th April, 2025 at about 8 p.m., we received a report that one Stephen Moses, 30 years, of Ikumi village via Shako District of Gawu-Babangida, Gurara LGA, earlier around the afternoon period, shot himself on the chest with a dane gun in his farm,” Abiodun narrated to Arewa PUNCH.

He added, “Police operatives from Gawu-Babangida Division visited the scene, found a dane gun and the body on the ground. The corpse was taken to the hospital.”

Police Lament Lack of Early Reporting

Abiodun further explained that preliminary investigations confirmed that Moses had been grieving intensely over the death of his wife and had repeatedly threatened to take his own life. Sadly, none of his relatives or neighbours reported these threats to the police, a step that could have enabled authorities to intervene and possibly prevent the tragedy.

“Preliminary findings revealed that the deceased was mourning the death of his wife who recently passed on, and had been threatening to commit suicide, but his relatives didn’t inform the police for preventive measures,” Abiodun emphasized.

The incident has since ignited conversations around mental health awareness, particularly the importance of taking suicidal threats seriously and seeking help when individuals exhibit signs of severe emotional distress.

Calls for Mental Health Awareness in Rural Communities

The tragedy highlights a growing mental health crisis in rural Nigeria, where limited access to counseling services and societal stigma surrounding emotional struggles often leave grieving individuals isolated. In communities like Ikumi, where mental health is rarely discussed openly, many residents lack the tools to recognize and respond to psychological distress.

Experts stress that suicide prevention requires a collective community effort, urging relatives, friends, and neighbours to treat all threats of self-harm with urgency. Mental health professionals advise that early intervention—through counseling, support groups, or even basic emotional support—can save lives.

Following the incident, local leaders and community heads in Gurara LGA are reportedly planning awareness sessions to educate villagers on the importance of mental well-being and the need to involve authorities when someone shows signs of suicidal intent.

As Stephen Moses’ family mourns their second loss in a short span—first the death of his wife and now his own tragic passing—the community is left grappling with grief and the painful lesson that more must be done to support the emotionally vulnerable.

Moses’ death stands as a stark reminder that behind every suicide is a person struggling, and it is a call for urgent action to strengthen mental health support systems, even in Nigeria’s most remote communities.