How FRCN driver jumped from Third Mainland Bridge into lagoon – Eyewitness

George Ikechukwu , a businessman in the Surulere area of Lagos State, said he witnessed the moment a middle – aged man , Sheriff Oladejo , jumped into the lagoon from Third Mainland Bridge on Friday.Ikechuwku , in a chat with Saturday PUNCH , said his vehicle was directly behind the Toyota Corolla car in which Oladejo was .

The deceased according to News Agency of Nigeria , was a driver attached to an Assistant Director in charge of Information Communication Technology unit of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria .

He was said to have been newly posted from the FRCN Training School located in Shogunle to the Broadcasting House in Ikoyi , Lagos .

Explaining what transpired shortly before the suicide , Ikechukwu said there was light traffic along UNILAG waterfront end of the bridge as a result of a vehicle that broke down on the road .

He said Oladejo , who was sitting at the back of the car , hurriedly opened the door and in a split second , clung to the railings of the bridge .

The businessman said , “ We were on Third Mainland Bridge after the UNILAG Waterfront about 9 am . I was behind the brown Toyota Corolla 2001 model where the man was . There were three people inside the car , the driver and a woman sitting in the front . The man sat at the back .

“ There was a faulty vehicle on the road , so we all had to reduce our speed . I noticed the car ( the Toyota Corolla ) in front of me slowed down , and the man jumped out in front my car . I thought their car was over – flooding and he wanted to call the attention of the fishermen to help them with water or he wanted to urinate . But the next thing I saw was that the tall man climbed the culvert . He wore a grey shirt with brown trousers and a cap . The man wore a very desperate look . He should be in his late 40 s .

“ My wife and I were looking at him as he held the railings and jumped into the water , head -first . I parked immediately and disembarked from my car . The driver of the Toyota Corolla also came down . We could not see any trace of his body because the water was calm . ”

Ikechukwu said they called for help and three fishermen responded . He said the fishermen searched the water for about 30 minutes without success .

“ We later drove to a checkpoint where policemen were . The driver was shouting and panicking . He was saying something in Yoruba , which I did not understand. I left the scene when my wife started fidgeting, ” he added .

Our correspondent learnt that Oladejo ’ s body was later recovered by a joint team of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency , Marine Police , Lagos State Waterways Authority and Rapid Response Squad .

LASEMA General Manager , Mr . Tiamiyu Adesina , said the agency received a distress call at 9 . 25 am .

“ A preliminary report at the scene revealed that the victim asked the driver to stop on the bridge for him to urinate and then he jumped into the lagoon . The body was recovered and taken to the LASWA jetty at Ebute Ero . It was thereafter handed over to the Adekunle Police Division for further investigation. ”

The Lagos State Police Publ Relations Officer , CSP Chike Oti , confirmed that the man was a passenger in a Toyota Corolla car , adding that the deceased had been identified by his relatives .

“ The man’ s name is Sherifu Oladejo . He was a passenger in that vehicle . He was a driver , ” he added .

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