Body of suicide victim recovered in Lagos lagoon

Emergency workers yesterday recovered the body of Adekunle Oluseyi, the man who removed his clothes and jumped into the lagoon on Friday. He was recovered on Sunday morning by officials of the Lagos Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

Oluseyi, a father of three left his Ondo State residence on Wednesday to attend a programme at the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s (RCCG) redemption camp along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Although it was unclear how he got to the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage captured him on the bridge pulling off his clothes, while observing to be sure no one was watching him.

The LASEMA General Manager, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, told newsmen that a fisherman saw Adekunle’s floating body on Sunday by a riverbank in Lekki. He said the deceased had jumped off the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge into the lagoon.

Tiamiyu said that a coordinated effort of LASEMA, LASWA and Marine Police recovered the floating body around 5:00a.m. and handed it over to the Lagos State Health Environmental Monitoring Unit.

“The body has been deposited at the Lagos Mainland Hospital mortuary. The police will carry out further investigations on the matter,” he said.

Tiamiyu expressed worry at the suspected suicide, and appealed to citizens to be their brother’s keepers by reporting any suspected suicide plan in time to avert the repeat of such ugly incidents.

He said relevant agencies and family of the deceased have been consulted after the recovery to confirm the identity, adding that the recovery exercise closed at 11:30a.m. yesterday.