By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

It was a tense moment over the weekend in Onitsha, Anambra State, when Henry Okoroagwu, a 25-year-old indigene of Amasiri, Afikpo in Ebonyi State, jumped the River Niger.

Okoroagwu suddenly climbed the railings of the bridge in broad daylight on Sunday and jumped into the river out of frustration but was rescued by a team of local boat riders and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) after passersby and a bystander raised the alarm.

Their alarm prompted a very quick and professional response from rescue officials and boat operators nearby who immediately swung into action.

Confirming the incident, the Unit Head of Marine at the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Engineer Omishola, said that his team quickly mobilized to the scene after being alerted.

According to him, their timely intervention was crucial in saving the young man from drowning.

A local boat operator, Mr. Peter Okenye, who was among the rescuers, said that they rushed towards the victim after noticing him in the water.

He said: “By the time we reached him, he was already going under. It was by God’s grace that we pulled him out alive. I thank God for using us to save yet another life.”

Speaking after his rescue, the survivor, Henry Okoroagwu admitted that frustration and hopelessness pushed him to attempt taking his life.

He disclosed that he is the sixth child of his family and has been feeling overwhelmed by personal struggles.

Okoroagwu was handed over to the NIWA Police Command after his rescue for further care and evaluation.

The incident has stirred emotional reactions on social media, with many describing it as a wake-up call on the need to pay more attention to issues of depression and mental health.

Meanwhile, residents of Onitsha have commended NIWA’s rescue team and the boat operators, saying that the intervention prevented what could have been another dark day at the River Niger.