By Rebecca Ejifoma
Officers of the Lagos State Police Command have rescued a 45 years old father of two, Mr. Adeyinka Abiodun, who attempted to commit suicide at the Third Mainland Bridge lagoon to avoid his accumulated debt of N500,000.
A press release that was released yesterday by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP. Bala Elkana, said incident took place on Friday, July 31, 2020 at 1:50 p.m.
Elkana noted that the police operatives deployed to the Third Mainland Bridge intercepted and rescued Abiodun, a resident of Abaranje Road, Ikotun, from his suicide attempt.
Abidun explained that he procured a loan of N390,000 in March this year with monthly repayment plan for six months and an accrued interest of N142,287:25 from a micro finance bank in Lagos Island.
Abiodun, who holds a B.Sc. in Physics and Master’s Degree in Business Administration, said he collected the loan to upgrade his wine retail business, but the business failed and the money lost.
He has been taken to the Bariga Police Station for questioning.
Elkana added: “He is currently attending medical and counselling sessions. The micro finance bank was contacted and they confirmed the loan. The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, moved with compassion, came to the rescue by repaying the loan.”
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, has enjoined the public to rather explore other means of addressing life challenges than resorting to taking their own lives, as suicide is never an option.
Odumosu also called on well-meaning individuals to always reach out to the needy and less privileged persons around them, noting that “this is the 8th suicide attempt successfully foiled by the police in Lagos in the last two months.”
