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Joshua Babalola, a 23-year-old painter from Ibadan, travelled to Lagos on June 8 and jumped from the Third Mainland Bridge into the lagoon after being overwhelmed by financial difficulties and feelings of hopelessness. He was rescued alive by marine police officers and local fishermen who responded swiftly after receiving a distress report. He was stabilised and placed under police care while authorities worked to contact his family.
The Lagos Police Command spokesperson confirmed it was the second such rescue from the lagoon in three months — a detail that points to a quiet but growing mental health crisis playing out on one of the city’s most iconic structures.
