Man attempts jumping down from a mast in Lagos

A man reportedly attempted to jump down from a telecommunication mast at Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos State on Tuesday morning.

The man who climbed to the top of the mast around 8.30am, but was rescued by a combined team of policemen, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and those from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has been identified as Daniel Chibuike Bassi.

It is speculated that he is mentally unstable and eyewitnesses said he was taken to Gowon Estate Police Station, where he is being interrogated.

NEMA’s South-West Co-ordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye confirmed the incident and further revealed that preliminary investigation showed that the man climbed the mast possibly to commit suicide.

He was however convinced by operatives of both National and State agencies to come down from the about 200 feet mast. Farinloye also disclosed that the man is an aluminium technician and works at Aluminium Village. He however lives in Dopemu, Lagos.

Before climbing the mast, he was said to have called on people around the scene and informed them that he wanted to do a fellowship.

Farinloye said;

“He was taken to Gowon Estate Police Station, Lagos.

“In an interactive discussion with NEMA, LASEMA and Police, Mr Bassi seems to be incoherent and could not make a complete statement all along.

“NEMA had to appeal to the Police to leave the distressed man to settle down and calm down because he could not remember his age.

“He told us that he arrived at the scene at about 8am and started climbing the mast at 8.30am.

“He revealed that he never knew the area before but something pushed him to go to the scene.

“He was said to have called people around the scene and informed the people that he wanted to do a fellowship and started with songs and praising.”