A serious drama played out in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital on Thursday when a ex-military identified as Ali climbed the Welcome to Taraba Roadblock Tower -over 24fts high and threatened to jump down.
However, concerned residents who gathered in their numbers begged the man for over an hour to rescind his decision to jump down
Ali who spoke in Hausa and pidgin was heard saying: “I want to die. Allow me to jump down and die.” But the youth who have gathered there are begging him: “Please do not jump. We don’t want you to die.”
Ali is seen on the high altitude Tower, attempting severally to jump down, but the people are trying to make sure they save him if he jumps. But they say they prefer he changes his mind and does not jump.
Witnesses said the soldier’s behaviour attracted their attention when they spotted him on top of the tower pulling and throwing down the items of clothing on him.
“We noticed someone climbing the place and pulling off his clothes. We got there to discover he is someone we know. He was left with under pant and an inner vest and poised to jump. We went close and began to beg him,” an eyewitness said.
Meanwhile, a close look reveals the ex-soldier has an injury on his left kneecap was bandaged. Eyewitnesses also said Ali has mental illness and has been relieved of his job, of recent.
“He is an ex-soldier, fond of riding military motorbikes in town. He was sacked from the army when it was discovered he is mentally ill,” another source said.