The Lagos Lagoon has received yet another casualty as reports indicate that a middle-aged man simply identified as Nurudeen lost his life despite being rescued after jumping into the lagoon in the early hours of Tuesday.

A report in PUNCH Metro suggests that the deceased jumped into the lagoon after trekking on the Third Mainland Bridge inwards Lagos Island.

Though there was a brave attempt to save the life of Nurudeen who was rescued by some fishermen and officials of the Lagos State Waterways Authority.

A member of the rescue team, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said despite efforts by paramedics to resuscitate the victim, he eventually passed on.

He said, “The man jumped into the lagoon around 7.24am. He was rescued by some fishermen and transported to Ebute Ero by LASWA officials. After several hours of trying to resuscitate him, he, unfortunately, passed on.

“The man’s identity could not be ascertained. He apparently resorted to the action out of frustration. His body was handed over to officials of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit.”

As at the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, said the case was not yet reported to the police.

The Public Affairs Officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mahmud Hassan, said some officials of the agency witnessed the incident.

He advised people against taking their own lives.

“People should learn to speak out whatever their problem is and they should seek help before it is too late. When there is life, there is hope,” he added.

This is the latest in a series of suspected suicide attempts off the third mainland bridge.

In June 2018, there were reports of a woman who allegedly jumped off the bridge into the water.

In the same vein, a medical doctor, Allwell Orji, jumped to his death into the lagoon in March 2017.

An interesting dimension to the ugly incidents is that most Nigerians are not even aware that the act of attempting a suicide is frowned at by the Nigerian constitution.

Indeed, it is considered a criminal offense punishable with a year’s imprisonment!

By virtue of Section 327 of the Criminal Code “Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanor, and is liable to imprisonment for one year”. The penal code (Nigeria Penal Code, Chapter 27, Section 327) isn’t shy of making provisions, “Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanor, and is liable to imprisonment for one year.”

The law, as it stands, exists to penalise the hapless ones who fail to complete their mission, while the successful ones, with greater liability, who are now beyond the reach of the same law, are exempted from punishment.

Although attempted suicide is a crime in Nigeria, actual prosecutions against those who attempt it appears to be rare.