UPDATE: Man jumps to death atop bank’s mast in Ibadan (PHOTOS & VIDEO) [Viewers discretion]

IN what looked like a scene from a horror film, a middle-aged man suspected to be mentally unstable, and identified as Shola, on Saturday, nosedived from the zenith of about 76-metre telecoms mast in a suicide mission.

He waved like a bird in flight from his precarious position from the mast to a bewildered people within the precincts of the premises of the branch of one of the old banks, before plunging on the roof of the building.

In the process, part of his right arm got broken before his entire body fell from the roof to the floor within the bank premises.

Many people could not hold back tears as the man, who was completely nude before he secretly made his way into the premises, climbed the mast, fell off and died almost immediately.

Passers-by and residents of Sango gnashed teeth as blood oozed from the lifeless body.

According to an eyewitness, who chose to remain anonymous, Sola was sighted waving at people watching him, from the peak of the mast, before he suddenly nosedived crashing on the roof of the bank.

He, according to the witness, eventually landed on the ground dead, sustaining serious injuries on the head and hands.

A woman who was at the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in the bank at the time of the event told Sunday Tribune that she deserted the premises when she could not bear the gory sight.

She added that: “I was here when it happened. But I had to run away because I was scared. He ran here naked and climbed the gate swiftly and went inside.

We later sighted him climbing the mast, which is taller than the banking hall, to its peak. He waved at people before he suddenly nosedived and landed on the ground.”

Sunday Tribune gathered that the victim had tried to commit suicide in about two different locations but was intercepted by people, and had even been hit by a vehicle before making his way into the bank.

Sunday Tribune also learnt that the sight of Shola on the mast drew the attention of passers-by, who could not rescue him, but called the area police officers and fire service.

It was gathered that when the security agencies visited the scene, they could not also prevent him from committing suicide after several efforts proved abortive.

It was also learnt that his remains were taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

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The family of the deceased did not find the event savoury as they took to lamentation when they visited the scene where their son died.

While the mother broke down uncontrollably, the father summoned courage to speak to the press on how they got to the scene.

The father disclosed that his wife and Shola had just returned from vigil, adding that, “we were to take breakfast when we discovered that Shola had suddenly disappeared from the house. We instantly raised the alarm about his absence.

“We eventually heard the rumour that he was found around the axis of the bank. It is a rude shock to us that we met him lifeless on getting here.”

When contacted, the State Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gbenga Fadeyi, confirmed that the victim, whose identity, he said, was yet to be confirmed at the time of filing this report, was confirmed dead by doctors at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

According to Fadeyi, “the man was walking towards the bank naked while the security officers on duty thought he was one of those mad people who normally parade the ATM area to beg for money from customers.

“But before the security officer could notice his ulterior motive, he had entered the bank premises through the small gate, climbed the mast and had swiftly reached a distant level on the mast.”

A source at the UCH revealed that the victim was dead before getting to the hospital. “The young man’s corpse was brought to the hospital at about 1:30 p.m. his corpse has however been taken away because the hospital policy does not allow the acceptance of dead person,” the source revealed.

Fadeyi revealed that the corpse had been deposited at the Adeoyo Hospital for autopsy.