Reports that Late director in the Kogi State Teaching Service Commission (TSC), Edward Soje, committed suicide because he was owed eleven months salary arrears has been debunked by the state government.
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On October 16, barely ten days after his wife of seventeen years gave birth to their only children, male triplets, Soje’s body was found hanging from a tree behind the mammy market at Chari Maigumeri Barracks in Lokoja.
Reports about the suicide attributed it to depression caused by eleven months salary arrears he was owed by Kogi State Government.
The government, has, however, debunked the claim that Soje took his life because of the salary arrears.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Head of Service, Deborah Ogunmola, who claimed to be a relation of the deceased, the government also blew the lid off intimate issues about late Soje.
The statement reads in part, ” The Kogi State Government is saddened in no small measure by the alleged suicide of Mr. Edward Soje, a level 16 officer and director in the Kogi State Civil Service. He was attached to the Teaching Service Commission.
“I am appalled by the media reports on Edward Soje’s death and the certainty by the media that he committed suicide and that he did it due to non-payment of his salaries by his employer, the Kogi State Government.
“For the records, these are the facts surrounding Mr. Soje’s employment with the Kogi State Government: He continued to receive his salaries till December, 2016 even while the Staff Screening and Verification Exercise was ongoing.
“His pay was stopped after proof emerged that he falsified his age records. His confession to the offence is on video.
“Following engagements with Labour which spanned several months, the Kogi State Governor magnanimously commuted the disciplinary action due against certain categories of offenders by grant of pardon. Mr. Soje fell into one of the categories.
“Pardoned staff were processed for reinstatement and payment in batches. Mr. Soje was in the September 2017 batch and he was aware of this fact.
“The Kogi State Teaching Service Commission where he works has forwarded a template for payment to Government and Mr. Soje was aware that he was listed to receive six months back pay, leaving only two months (August and September) outstanding.
“Edward Soje was not just my staff; he was also married to my sister-in-law. His death is shocking, both as one related to him in some way, and one responsible for him in an official capacity.”
