By Joe Udo
LAGOS (CONVERSEER) – An elderly woman was on Friday afternoon prevented from taking her own life over hardship by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), a unit of the Lagos State Police Command.
According to The Whistler, the incident occurred around 12:20 p.m. when the RRS operatives, who were on routine patrol, spotted the woman attempting to jump into the lagoon from Carter Bridge.
Acting swiftly, the officers rescued her and took her to the RRS Headquarters for further assistance. There, the Commander of the squad, CSP Shola Jejeloye, engaged her in a private conversation to understand the circumstances behind her action.
According to a statement by the RRS, Jejeloye later facilitated a meeting between the woman, her husband, and their 30-year-old son to help the family address their underlying issues.
Following the emotional session, the RRS Commander offered the woman extensive counselling and provided her with a cash gift as part of efforts to support her recovery and reintegration.
The woman was released into the care of her husband and son. The family expressed deep gratitude to the RRS team for their timely intervention, the compassionate leadership of Jejeloye, and the financial support extended to them.
“The family expressed deep gratitude to the Commander for the squad’s timely intervention, his heartfelt advice, and the financial support.
“The woman has since been released into the care of her husband and son,” the statement read partly.
The Whistler reports that in June 2024, an American citizen was prevented from committing suicide on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
It was gathered that the American, whose identity was not revealed, was driven to the bridge by the mother of his child in the company of his daughter.
The man said to be in his 30s had asked the lady who did not know his intentions to park on the bridge, while he walked to the pavement in an attempt to jump into the Lagoon.
However, upon observing what was going on, a passerby alerted the operatives of the RRS who were on patrol. They were able to persuade him not to jump in.
NOTE: If you are in Nigeria and you or a loved one has contemplated suicide, call the National Emergency Hotline at 112 or the Nigerian Suicide Prevention Initiative Counselling Centre at 0806 210 6493 to connect with a trained counsellor.
