Emergency workers yesterday expressed scepticism over reports that a woman jumped into the Lagos lagoon on Sunday evening.
Their doubts, it was learnt, stemmed from the fact that no one, including eyewitnesses who raised the alarm on social media, has put forward a detail account of how the incident occurred.
Though officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) continued search and rescue, it was gathered that the womanโs body was yet to be found.
According to a source, the agency had hoped that relatives of the woman would have come forward or called the emergency toll free lines after the news broke.
The source said: โSo far, we have not gotten conviction that a woman or anyone jumped into the lagoon from Third Mainland Bridge on Sunday. We want to believe that with the break of the news, those who have not seen their sister, mother, wife believed to have gone through some hard times or was depressed would have made efforts to reach them. Then, those who could not reach such persons would have called the emergency lines to find out details on the person and to know if she has been found for possible identification. But no one has called to report a missing loved one or anything that relates to the said suicide.
โMoreover, most of the people who said on social media the witnessed the incident has been contacted and they have not given us reliable information.
โThe vehicle that was parked there belongs to a former employee of Interswitch, who, according to the organisation, was very much alive.
โWe have made efforts to speak to him regarding the incident but his wife said her husband had been traumatised following reports on social media that it was the owner of the vehicle that committed suicide.
โShe said he cannot take his call. So, we have not been able to get facts. Despite the absence of reliable facts, we are carrying on with search and rescue.โ
In a short statement released by Interswitch, the firm said: โWe have become aware of a short video circulating on social networks and chat platforms, of a vehicle linked to Interswitch at the scene of an incident on the Third Mainland bridge yesterday afternoon cc:
โWe would like to categorically state that while the vehicle belongs to a former member of our staff, the driver of the vehicle was a first responder, who stopped to assist with rescue. No Interswitch staff jumped into the lagoon as being erroneously speculated.โ
Lagos State Police Command also yesterday said it had commenced investigation into the report.
Commandโs Spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) told the News Agency of Nigeria that though the police had not received any official report, they were already making efforts to find out the true story.
โThere is no official report yet. It is the news making the rounds. However, our rescue team is searching, divers and Marine policemen are working. Investigation is ongoing, findings will be made public please,โ he said.
