A suicide attempt by a blind man in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria propelled by suffocating hardship has landed him in police custody.
Mr. Ewenla Ibrahim Adetomiwa, aged 65, was taken into custody by the police at Adeniji Adele Division of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, September 4, after attempting to jump into the lagoon from a bridge.
The visually impaired man resident at No. 3, Otunba-Mac Street, Ikorodu, could no longer bear the excruciating hunger and wanted to end it all by a near-fatal plunge but was rescued by passers-by.
He was in the company of his two children -Ewenla Ibrahim Jnr, aged 12 and Yetunde Ewenla, aged 16, when he attempted diving into the lagoon at about 2.20pm on Wednesday.
The Police said operatives visited the scene after a report on the incident was received at Adeniji Adele police station and took the blind man as well as his children into custody.
“Policemen visited the scene; the suspect and his children were taken into custody. The suspect confessed to the crime and equally stated that his intention was to commit suicide so that the Government can take care of his children. Investigation is in progress”, a senior officer told Scudnews on Friday.
It was learned that reports on suicide and attempts have become mere decimals in police compilation of crime statistics in recent times as Nigerians groan under a heavy survival burden occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy and other economic policies.
