The man who jumped into the lagoon at the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge area of Lagos on Tuesday has been identified as Buka Abana.
This is just as rescue workers succeeded in retrieving his corpse on Thursday after days of searching.
It was learnt that the 30-year-old, believed to be a drug addict, had left his Lekki Phase I residence about two days before the incident.
It was further learnt that his family members, who had formed a search party for him, later received information that he was sighted around the bridge and decided to go after him.
A source said: “The man lived in Lekki Phase I. He had been taking Colorado. He was missing for two days and his family members were searching for him.
“They got information that he was seen around the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge and they rushed there to take him home.
“Unfortunately when he sighted them, he quickly jumped into the lagoon”.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Benjamin Hundeyin told Newsmen: “The man’s name is Buka Abana. He was aged 30. He had been taking Colorado hard drugs.
“He left home for two days and in the process of searching for him, he sighted the family members and jumped into the lagoon as soon as he saw them”.
Earlier in a statement, the Head of Public Education at the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Mr. Shakiru confirmed that Abana’s lifeless body was recovered on Thursday.
The statement read: “The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service can authoritatively report that the body of one adult male that jumped into the lagoon on Tuesday, 8th August 2023, from Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge has been recovered today (Thursday).
“The search and rescue operations began in earnest immediately after the alert of the incident was received around 2.53 pm and culminated in the recovery of the body today (Thursday) around 9.15 am at the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) end of the lagoon bank.
“The collaborative efforts included that of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASEMA, Lagos State Health, Environmental Monitoring Unit and the locals to foreclose the joint operations”.
According to a statement by LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Abana’s body was handed over to the family after the operation.
“The recovered body has been handed over to the family of the deceased in conjunction with the LASEMA Response Unit, SEHMU (State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit), LASWA (Lagos State Waterways Authority) rescue team and officers of the Nigerian Police Force from Maroko Divisional Police Station, and operation has been concluded”, the statement read.
He had earlier said that efforts to stop the victim proved abortive as “he escaped from being restrained and jumped into the lagoon.
“LASWA officials were immediately alerted of the incident. Rescue attempt were abortive”, adding that the body had been bagged by the agency’s response team.
