A young woman, whose identity remains undisclosed on Wednesday, February 21st, 2024, was on the brink of ending her life in Owerri, Imo State, driven by the depths of hunger and despair gripping the nation.
According to eyewitnesses at the scene near the River Nwaorie, located close to the bustling Warehouse Junction (Orlu Road Junction), the woman, visibly emaciated had approached street vendors with a paltry sum of ₦400 and her mobile phone.
She pleaded with someone to hold her belongings as she expressed her intention to end her life.
Witnesses recounted their shock as the woman darted towards the river, her desperation palpable.
However, swift action by alert passersby, particularly the intervention of courageous youths, prevented her from taking the plunge into the river.
Despite her resistance and apparent fainting during the struggle, the collective efforts of those present managed to revive her, administering blood tonic syrups as part of lifesaving measures.
A psychologist, Dr Rufus Enwere, who spoke on the incident said the harrowing incident underscores the grim reality faced by many Nigerians amidst the prevailing economic crisis and escalating hardship in the country since the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.
“The woman’s extreme act serves as a distressing reminder of the dire consequences of widespread hunger and deprivation gripping the nation” he said
Despite attempts to ascertain her identity or glean any information about her background, such efforts proved futile at the time of reporting.