A yet-to-be-identified man has climbed a tall billboard at the Gadar Lado axis along Zaria Road in Kano State, in what many believe may be an attempted suicide.
The incident, which began around 1p.m., drew a large crowd and caused significant traffic congestion on the busy road.
The agitated man who has remained atop the towering structure for over an hour has been mumbling to himself.
However, efforts to communicate with him have proven difficult due to the height of the billboard and his indifference.
An eyewitness, Habeeb Ishaq, who spoke to LEADERSHIP, said he arrived at the scene over an hour ago and found the man already perched on the billboard.
“I came here at around 1p.m. and saw him up there,” Habeeb said. “He keeps mumbling to himself but because of the distance, we can’t make out what he is saying. There are a lot of rumours. Some people I spoke with claimed he is demanding to see the governor.”
Another eyewitness, Mallam Hassan expressed frustration for being trapped in the resulting gridlock, “It’s so frustrating that the stunt of one man has caused delay for hundreds of people that are trying to get things done, I missed a very important meeting because of this traffic jam, the authorities really need to deal with him once they get him down.”
The unfolding incident has triggered speculations, with many in the crowd sharing unverified claims about the man’s motives.
However, as at the time of filing this report, no official statement has been released by the Kano State Police Command or the state government regarding the man’s identity or intentions.
Police officers have since arrived at the scene and working to control the crowd and ease the heavy traffic buildup.
