A man identified as Femi on Saturday in Osogbo, Osun State jumped into Osun river, not long after he complained about the hardship facing him.

A source close to the scene said Femi stood on the Gbodofon bridge located along Osogbo/Gbongan road around 10:30 am and jumped into the river.

A vulcaniser, working close to the scene, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, said he observed a man walk down from the Old Governor’s Office end of Osogbo/Gbongan road and stood for a few minutes in the middle of Gbodofon bridge before he took a plunge into the river.

He said, “I was at a spot close to the bridge working on a customer’s tyre when I looked towards the Gbodofon bridge and I saw a man walking down from Old Governor’s Office end of the Osogbo/Gbongan.

“He stood right in the middle of the bridge and took a plunge into the Gbodofon river. People around were seized with fear after the incident.”

During an interview with The PUNCH, the spokesperson of Osun State Fire Service, Ibrahim Adekunle, said operatives of the agency were called for an emergency rescue operation when the victim jumped into the river around 10:30 am.

“We responded, but the river is overflowing at the moment. We made efforts and we are still looking for the person, but we are yet to recover the body. From what we were told, the person involved is a man,” Adekunle said.

Also commenting, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command, Kehinde Adeleke, identified the victim as Femi, adding that he had earlier made an attempt to commit suicide, but was chased away by some people who suspected his movement on the bridge.

Adeleke further said, “On July 6th, 2024, at exactly 10:30 am, a man identified as Femi, the only son of his parent and a native of Ilesha jumped into Gbodofon River.

“According to an eyewitness, before he jumped into the river, he kept saying that a group of people had beaten him mercilessly at a (fast food joint) in the OgoOluwa area, which led him to decide to end his life.

“During the investigation, we interviewed a man who witnessed the incident. He mentioned that Femi initially attempted to commit suicide, but was chased away. He later came back, saying he was tired of life. Shortly after, he went to the top of the Gbodofon Bridge and jumped into the river.

“As of Saturday evening, the body of the said man has not been recovered but the effort is ongoing.”

Three people have been reportedly rescued from a collapsed building in Rumuodara, Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers state.

The building collapsed on Friday, July 5.

Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Isaac Umejuru, commissioner for physical planning and urban development, said the state government will hold the project engineer responsible for a “lack of approval for the structure”.

He said the engineer placed a second structure on an old building which led to the collapse.

The commissioner added that the site of the collapse has been cordoned off.

“The building was constructed without approval from the state government. It collapsed because a new structure was placed on the old one,” he said.

He said the three rescued individuals, including a two-year-old, are receiving medical attention.

“We are happy that they did not die as a result of the incident. They are currently receiving medical attention. We are hopeful that they will be fine,” he added.

Umejuru said the state government would investigate the cause of the collapse and prosecute anyone found culpable.

He warned property developers against constructing buildings without approvals from relevant authorities.

“We shall not hesitate to bring illegal property developers to book. It is only right to get approvals before construction begins,” he said.

Lawyers representing Aminu Ado Bayero, 15th emir of Kano, have withdrawn in the ongoing Kano emirate tussle before the state high court.

At the resumed court session on Thursday, Abdul Muhammed, counsel to the first respondent, informed the court that he had an affidavit of fact dated July 3, attached with a notice of appeal and a motion of stay of proceedings.

He urged the court to stay proceedings pending the hearing and determination of the motion at the appeal court.

“When a judge of a high court is aware of application in a higher court, the notification in the dependency in the lower court must be in affidavit of facts,” he said.

“It is expected that a trial court should stop the hearing on the matter pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

He told the court that they were served with the court processes on Thursday morning.

He sought an adjournment that would enable them to respond but the court refused his prayers.

He therefore announced his withdrawal of service from the case.

Sanusi Musa, another member of the team, announced their withdrawal from the case on behalf of the other counsels for the first respondent.

“Myself and other counsels apply for the withdrawal of our representation and appearances,” Musa said.

Hassan Kyaure, counsel to the third, fourth and fifth respondents, told the court that he has filed an application for an extension of time and counter affidavit in response to the originating motion.

Kyaure prayed the court to set aside the Kano State Emirate Council repeal law as due process was not followed. He also asked that a fine of N1 billion be awarded against the plaintiffs.

Sunday Ekwe, counsel to the sixth respondent, told the court that he had nothing to present.

Responding, Eyitayo Fatogun, counsel to the applicant, urged the court to discount the respondent’s affidavit of facts pursuant to order 39, rules 1 and 2 of the court.

“The motion refers to a proposed notice of appeal not a notice of appeal. It shows that the affidavit of facts is just to delay the proceedings. My lord, the business of today is for the hearing of all pending applications,” he said.

Fatogun asked the court to dismiss the third, fourth and fifth respondents’ applications on the issue of Kano Emirate Repeal Law because the issue is not before the court.

THE RULING

Delivering the ruling, Amina Adamu-Aliyu, presiding judge, refused the application for a stay of proceedings.

“The respondent did not disclose any special fact to warrant any stay of proceedings,” she said.

The judge adjourned the case until July 18 for ruling on the applications for extension of time, notice of preliminary objection, setting aside ex parte order, joinder application, and for the judge to recuse herself, among others.

The applicants in the suit are the attorney-general of Kano, the speaker, and the Kano house of assembly.

Respondents are Aminu Bayero, Nasiru Ado Bayero, Ibrahim Abubakar II, Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa, Aliyu Ibrahim Gaya, inspector-general of police (IGP), director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Army.

In May, the court restrained Aminu Bayero from parading himself as the Emir of Kano pending the determination of the suit.

The court also ordered the police to take over the Nassarawa palace where Bayero has been sheltering since he returned to Kano after his dethronement.