Man climbs, stays on Lagos high-tension tower for three hours

Tragedy was averted in Lagos on Friday when an
unidentified man mounted an electricity transmission
tower.
The incident occurred at Powerline Street, Calvary Bus
Stop in Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area.
Our correspondent gathered that the man wandered
around the vicinity in the early hours of the day before
stopping at the foot of the tower at about 2pm.
Eyewitnesses said he removed some totems tied to
the tower by a vigilance group and mounted it to the
top despite warnings from residents and passers-by.
A resident, Mr. Kazeem Oyebola, who said the man did
not look like a mentally challenged person, added that
his responses showed he was on a suicide mission.
He stated, "He was not mad at all. He was coherent
when he talked except for some vague statements he
made. He had a mission and it was to kill himself for
some unknown reasons."
Also, a yam seller in the area who identified herself as
Iya Bose said she was scared when the man in his
late thirties climbed the tower.
Another resident, identified as Odunayo, who sells
alcoholic drinks in the area, said the man covered
himself with a wrapper.
She added that many felt the tower climber wanted
cheap publicity or had an intention to "carry out a
diabolical assignment particularly as he wore red
knickers."
Our correspondent learnt that the incident attracted a
crowd and some of them had to climb the tower to
see if they could get him down.
A community leader in the area, Mr. Alao Salami, said
when he sensed that the man was not ready to
disembark from the tower after about three hours he
had to alert the police at the Idimu Police Station.
An official with an electricity distribution firm who did
not want his name in print told SUNDAY PUNCH that
the only way the man could have survived
electrocution was because there was no electricity in
the wires.
When our correspondent visited Idimu Police Divisional
Headquarters, the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. James
Sonekan, refused to comment on the matter.
He said he was not authorised to make an official
statement on the matter.