A woman said to be a single mother-of-three attempted suicide by jumping into the Osun river in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria over her inability to continue providing for her children due to the lockdown.
Kafayat Alake jumped into the river yesterday, April 1, a few hours after the state government imposed a stay-at-home order on residents of the state as part of measures to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic. She would have drowned, but for the timely intervention of some residents of Aregbesola area of Osogbo.
Alake’s strange movement on the bridge was said to have been noticed by some passersby. When she jumped, they quickly raised alarm and youths in the area trooped out, dived into the river and rescued the woman.
“We were somewhere around that place when the woman fell into the river. At first, we thought she slipped while walking on the bridge but we later discovered it was a suicide dive. While others were calling for help, I had to jump into the river before others joined me in rescuing her,” a resident said.
Alake, while being questioned by reporters after her rescue, said she hails from Alapaaro, Isale Osun, Osogbo. According to her, she has three children and she could not continue to fend for them due to her financial predicament.
She stated that her husband stays in Lagos, adding that she got separated from her husband thirteen years ago.
The woman was later rushed to a nearby hospital by the O’Ambulance team of the state.
