A somber Eid-el-Kabir celebration turned tragic in Ilorin West Local Government Area after a 43-year-old man, identified as Kareem, was confirmed dead on Friday after reportedly jumping into a well under the influence of a hard drug locally known as “Colorado.”
The incident took place in the Ile Alapo area of Edun, shortly after the man returned from Eid prayers. According to the Kwara State Fire Service, a distress call was received at exactly 10:29 a.m., prompting a swift emergency response to the scene.
In a statement released on Saturday by the Head of Media and Publicity for the Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, the deceased was believed to have consumed the synthetic drug, which may have altered his mental state and judgment.
“The victim, identified as Kareem, reportedly jumped into a domestic well under the influence of a substance known as ‘Colo’ (Colorado), shortly after observing the Eid prayer,” Adekunle stated.
Firefighters successfully retrieved the lifeless body from the well. The remains were later handed over to Inspector Babatunde Amos of the C Division of the Nigeria Police Force, Ilorin.
The Fire Service noted that formal identification and claims by the deceased’s family were still pending as of the time of filing this report.
Attempts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, for further comment were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered.
This incident adds to growing concerns about the increasing abuse of synthetic substances like Colorado in Nigerian communities and the mental health risks associated with their consumption.
