The police in Ekiti State have launched an investigation into the circumstances that led a middle-aged man, identified simply as Segun, to take his life by hanging on a tree at Ise Ekiti in the Ise/Orun Local Government Area.

Sources said the man had attempted to slit the throat of his elder daughter before hanging himself on a tree behind their residence in the early hours of Sunday.

A resident of Ise Ekiti, Mr Patrick Abayomi, who said the scene attracted neighbours and residents, expressed shock over the incident.

He said the man attempted to kill his daughter before taking his own life.

Abayomi said, “People around here said they were alerted by the noise from the house in the early hours of this morning, only to get there and see the lifeless body of the man dangling from the tree.

“They said they rushed the girl, said to be about 12 years old, to a hospital in the area to save her life. According to them, she is responding to treatment.

“People around said they are trying to contact traditional worshippers to remove the lifeless body from the tree where it is hanging,” he added.

Also speaking, a source who preferred anonymity said, “This development speaks a lot about the sanity of the man.

“I want to believe he attempted a taboo with the daughter, which made him try to kill her and later take his own life. I won’t say more than that.

“But we thank God the girl escaped being killed by her father this morning. Our prayer now is that she recovers from the injury and the trauma.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti State Command, Superintendent Sunday Abutu, said the police would get to the root of the matter.

Abutu, in a text message, stated, “The Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, has directed a thorough investigation into the incident.” (The PUNCH)