Shoppers and traders at the popular Wurukum Market in Makurdi, Benue State, were thrown into panic on Wednesday after a young woman reportedly attempted to take her own life by consuming rat poison in public.
Eyewitnesses said the unidentified woman, believed to be in her early 30s, was seen trembling and collapsing shortly after drinking from a small plastic bottle. Market guards rushed to her aid as nearby traders screamed for help. She was quickly identified to have ingested a substance later confirmed by vendors to be a commercial brand of rodenticide.
According to one of the market traders who assisted in the rescue, the woman was heard muttering words about “being tired of life” and “no longer having peace” before she collapsed near a fruit stall. Her actions sent shockwaves through the market, halting business for over an hour.
Emergency responders were called to the scene and promptly moved the woman to the Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi, where she remains under observation. Hospital sources say her condition is “critical but stable” as doctors work to flush the toxins from her system.
Authorities from the Benue State Police Command confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing. “We are trying to locate her family and understand what led to this desperate act,” a senior officer at the Wurukum Division stated, appealing for anyone with useful information to come forward.
Mental health advocates have called on the Benue State government to increase awareness and access to emotional support services. According to the World Health Organization, suicide remains a leading cause of death globally among young adults, particularly in underserved regions where mental health care is often lacking.
As the woman fights for her life, many in Makurdi are left grappling with the emotional weight of what they witnessed, reigniting conversations around depression, hardship, and the urgent need for more public interventions.
