On Saturday in Osogbo, Osun State, a man identified as Femi jumped into the Osun River shortly after expressing his struggles with severe hardship.
Witnesses reported that around 10:30 am, Femi was seen standing on the Gbodofon bridge, located along the Osogbo/Gbongan road, before he leapt into the river.
An eyewitness close to the scene, a vulcanizer who chose to remain anonymous for security reasons, recounted the events. He observed Femi walking down from the direction of the Old Governor’s Office along Osogbo/Gbongan road.
Femi paused for a few minutes in the middle of the Gbodofon bridge before plunging into the river. The vulcanizer stated, “I was working on a customer’s tire near the bridge when I saw the man walking down from the Old Governor’s Office direction.
He stood in the middle of the bridge and then jumped into the Gbodofon river. The people around were gripped with fear after witnessing the incident.”
Ibrahim Adekunle, the spokesperson for the Osun State Fire Service, confirmed in an interview with The PUNCH that their operatives were called for an emergency rescue operation around 10:30 am.
Adekunle explained, “We responded promptly, but the river is currently overflowing. Despite our efforts, we have not yet recovered the body. We were informed that the individual involved is a man.”
Kehinde Adeleke, the Public Relations Officer for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command, provided further details, identifying the victim as Femi.
Adeleke mentioned that Femi had previously attempted suicide but was dissuaded by people who noticed his suspicious behavior on the bridge. Adeleke elaborated, “On July 6th, 2024, at exactly 10:30 am, Femi, the only son of his parents and a native of Ilesha, jumped into the Gbodofon River.
An eyewitness reported that before he jumped, Femi mentioned being beaten severely at a fast food joint in the OgoOluwa area, which led him to decide to end his life.
During the investigation, another witness confirmed Femi’s initial suicide attempt.
The witness said Femi was chased away initially but returned, expressing his exhaustion with life. Shortly thereafter, he climbed to the top of the Gbodofon bridge and jumped into the river.
As of Saturday evening, the search for Femi’s body continues, with efforts ongoing to recover him.
