In a dramatic turn of events, a 65-year-old blind man, Ewenla Ibrahim Adetomiwa, and an 18-year-old mentally unstable teenager were rescued from attempting suicide on the Third Mainland Bridge.
Adetomiwa, a resident of Ikorodu, Lagos, took his two children, aged 16 and 12, to the bridge, intending to jump into the lagoon.
He claimed he wanted the government to care for his children after his death. A passerby alerted the police, who swiftly intervened and rescued the family.
According to an witness, Mark Uzoma, said the blind man came to the scene in company of his children, who were watching as he was making attempt to jump into the lagoon.
Uzoma said that the man told the mammoth crowd that gathered round him that he wanted to kill himself so that the government may be compelled to start taking care of his Children.
The survivor, was quoted as say,” I am fed up with life. The economy is too hard for me to bear. Things are too difficult, so I wanted to end my life, maybe the government may start taking care of my children”.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, stating, “On 04/09/2024, at 14:30 hours, we received a distress call about a man attempting suicide with his children. Our team rescued them and took them to the station.”
“He was prevented by a good Nigerians, who alerted the police through the Control Room. On the receipt of the information, the FPO led a team of policemen to the scene, where the victim, Ewenla Ibrahim Adetomiwa, a blind man, 65, of Ikorodu Lagos, and his two children were seen on the Third Mainland bridge in the midst of crowd.
“They were rescued to the station and upon interrogation, the man admitted that his intention was to commit suicide to enable the government to start taking care of his children.”
The police image maker also stated that effort was on to contact his wife .
In a separate incident, an 18-year-old mentally unstable resident of 1004 Estate was prevented from jumping into the lagoon by operatives from Yaba Police Station, who were on routine patrol in the area
The police handed him over to his family for immediate treatment.