The Lagos State Police Command reported that a 65-year-old visually impaired man, Ewenla Adetomiwa, was rescued after attempting to commit suicide by jumping into the lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. on September 4, 2024.
Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the state Police Command, confirmed the incident on Sunday. According to reports, Adetomiwa had brought his two children to the bridge, intending to end his life, believing that the government would take care of them after his death.
Passersby, noticing his intentions, intervened and prevented him from jumping into the lagoon.
Hundeyin explained, “A distress call was received about a man with his two children attempting to jump into the lagoon on the Third Mainland Bridge. A good Samaritan stopped him and alerted the police. Officers were dispatched to the scene and found the man, who lives in Ikorodu, along with his 16-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son.”
The family was taken to the police station, where Adetomiwa admitted that his suicide attempt was motivated by a desire for the government to care for his children.
In a related incident, Hundeyin noted that on August 30, 2024, an 18-year-old boy named Elijah, believed to be mentally unstable, was also rescued from attempting to jump into the same lagoon. The police contacted his family and handed him over to their care.
In June 2024, the state’s Rapid Response Squad similarly saved an American citizen who was attempting to commit suicide on the Third Mainland Bridge.