A United States-based Nigerian cardiologist, Ikenna Erinne, has reportedly committed su!cide after losing a $15,000 child support case to his ex-wife.
According to a Nigerian-American, Clayton Udo, who posted the tragic news on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Erinne, a 36-year-old Anambra State native, shot himself on Sunday, January 26, after a prolonged divorce battle with his estranged wife, including the custody of their children.
Udo said the deceased, however, lost the case after a US court ruled in favour of his ex-wife and ordered him to pay a monthly child support of $15,000, a decision Erinne must have felt was harsh and was bound to take a severe financial toll on him.
“The abuse of African men in the USA must come to an end. In a deeply troubling case, Dr. Ikenna Erinne, an American-trained cardiologist, allegedly took his own life after an American court ordered him to pay his ex-wife $15,000 monthly, following a prolonged and contentious divorce case,” Udo wrote.
“This tragic incident highlights the systemic issues within the legal system that disproportionately affect African men,” he added.
Udo who identified himself as an expert in psychological and mental abuse, explained that the deceased had spent thousands of dollars in legal fees before the court’s verdict turned out in favour of his ex-wife, as well as losing his license to the case.
“He shot himself to death. He spent thousands of dollars in legal fees – wasted money. I am talking about a process that impoverishes you. You go to court and they take all your money,” Udo revealed.
“He lost his license as a cardiologist in this case plus they slammed on him 15,000 dollars a month plus restricted access to his children,” he added.
