Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development rescued a mentally unstable woman on Monday after receiving a distress call.

Information gathered said she arrived at a police station in a ride-hailing vehicle and attempted to lodge a complaint against the sun at the Panti police station.

Witnesses said she insisted the sun was harassing her and demanded that officers take action.

A distress call posted on Instagram alerted the ministry’s Rapid Response Team, which arrived within the hour and transferred her to a state-run rehabilitation centre for immediate medical and psychiatric evaluation. She remains under observation, ministry sources confirmed.

Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende, the Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, praised the team’s swift and professional intervention.

“Public vigilance through social media played a critical role,” he said in a statement.

Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, urged residents to report any individual exhibiting signs of acute mental distress.

“Early intervention prevents tragedy,” she said.

The incident is one of many, with a similar case in July 2024, when the same rescue unit extracted a naked man from the Third Mainland Bridge after he claimed voices from the lagoon were ordering him to jump.

That individual, later diagnosed with schizophrenia, was rehabilitated and reunited with family after three months of treatment.

Lagos State operates three public rehabilitation centres with a combined capacity of 350 beds, though mental health advocates say demand far outstrips supply.

Nigeria’s 2023 National Mental Health Survey estimated that one in four Nigerians suffers from a mental disorder, yet fewer than 300 psychiatrists serve a population exceeding 200 million.

The ministry’s 24-hour hotline and growing use of Instagram for emergency tips have shortened average response times from four hours in 2022 to under 90 minutes this year, officials claim.

Meanwhile, ride-hailing platforms have also begun training drivers to recognise passengers in psychological crises.

Uber Nigeria confirmed its safety team had flagged the journey after the driver reported erratic behaviour en route.

Police at Panti declined to comment on the attempted complaint, citing patient confidentiality.

Mental health stigma remains pervasive in Nigeria, where traditional healers often serve as first responders.

The Lagos State Mental Health Law, enacted in 2021, mandates free emergency care for indigent patients, but funding shortfalls have delayed full implementation.