Police foil two suicide attempts on Third Mainland Bridge

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command successfully averted two separate suicide attempts on the Third Mainland Bridge, demonstrating their swift response to distress calls.

In the first incident, which occurred on September 4, 2024, a 65-year-old visually impaired man, Ewenla Adetomiwa, attempted to end his life by jumping into the lagoon.

It was reported that around 2:30 p.m., Adetomiwa had brought his two children to the bridge, with the belief that after his death, the government would take care of them. Fortunately, vigilant passersby noticed the man’s actions and quickly intervened, preventing him from jumping.

The Lagos State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the event during a statement to Punch on Sunday, September 9.

“We received a distress call that a man with his two children was trying to commit suicide by jumping into the lagoon on the Third Mainland Bridge,” Hundeyin explained. He further detailed how a good Samaritan, recognizing the gravity of the situation, immediately alerted the police.

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Officers were dispatched to the location, where they found the man and his two children—a 16-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son—standing on the bridge. They were subsequently taken into police custody for further investigation.

During questioning, Adetomiwa confessed that he had intended to take his life so that his children would be placed under the care of the government. The man, a resident of Ikorodu, was desperate for a solution to his family’s plight, believing this drastic measure would secure his children’s future.

In a related case, Hundeyin recounted a second suicide attempt that took place a few days earlier, on August 30, 2024. An 18-year-old boy named Elijah, reportedly suffering from mental health issues, was also rescued while attempting to leap into the same lagoon.

In this instance, the police acted promptly, locating the young man and ensuring his safety. His family was contacted, and he was later handed over to their care.

Both cases underscore the importance of community vigilance and prompt intervention, which, coupled with swift police action, saved lives on one of Lagos’s most trafficked landmarks.