No fewer than eight suicide cases were recorded among university students in the country within the last six months, an investigation by Weekend Trust has shown.

According to newspaper reports reviewed by our correspondent within the period, the undergraduates, comprising men and women, took their own lives between January and June this year.

The figure excluded other suicide cases that may not have been reported by the media.

A breakdown of the data collated by Weekend Trust showed that 34 persons committed suicide in the time under review.

Suicide, as common as it is, remains a criminal offence in Nigeria.

An attempt to kill self carries a penalty of up to one year in prison under Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act.

The section states clearly that: “Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for one year.”

According to the latest statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 700,000 people die every year via suicide.

This means at least one person commits suicide between 40 and 50 seconds.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) said suicide was the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds globally in 2019.

It has also been estimated that every year, about 30,000 people die by suicide in the US, while 650,000 others receive emergency treatment after suicide attempts.

Suicide is a global phenomenon, with 78 per cent of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries as of 2015, while 1.4 per cent of global deaths in 2017 were also attributed to the phenomenon.

The WHO Suicide Ranking, which has disclosed that there are 15.1 suicides per 100,000 population in a year, places Nigeria as the 30th most suicide-prone country (out of 183 countries in the world).

In Africa, Nigeria is ranked as the 10th African country with higher rates of suicide, leading countries like Togo (26th), Sierra Leone (11th), Angola (19th), Burkina Faso (22nd), Cote d’Ivoire (5th) and Equatorial Guinea (7th).

According to experts, some of the reasons for the reported suicides range from financial hardship, mental health such as depression among others.

Analysis by our correspondent for the period revealed that the South-west region topped the tally with a total of five suicide cases among students.

It showed that four of the seven students committed suicide by consuming the deadly insecticide called Sniper, while others either hung themselves or ingested other insecticides.

The victims

On January 27, 2024, the body of Adaeze Doris Jaja, a 400-level female student at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, was reported to have been found lying unconscious and foaming in the mouth with an empty bottle of Sniper beside her.

The police spokeswoman in the state, Omolola Odutola, said the 31-year-old died in a hotel room.

Odutola explained that the incident was reported to the police, Ago Iwoye Division, on January 27 at about 7:30am.

Similarly, On January 29, 2024, a young female student at the Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, Jamima Shetima Balami, reportedly took her own life.

The 24-year-old was a National Diploma II student of Mass Communication and was about to complete her Industrial Training (IT) at Adamawa Television (ATV) in Yola at the time of her death.

Balami, who hails from Garkida Gombi, was reportedly found dead at her residence in Vinikilang, also known as Hayin Gada, in Girei Local Government Area of the state.

It was believed that she ingested a substance suspected to be rat poison.

Also, Rashidat Shittu, a 400-level student at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, reportedly killed herself over her academic status.

The Incident, our reporter gathered, occurred when the 20-year-old final-year student of the Department of Accounting, reportedly drank a bottle of Sniper on February 10, 2024.

On May 22, the police command in Ebonyi, confirmed the death of a final-year student of the state university in Abakaliki. It was alleged that she took her life.

The student, Identified as Miss Favour Ugwuka, allegedly committed suicide in her hostel room at the Ishieke campus of the university.

The deceased, who was In the English Department before her death, was said to have passed all her courses, but repeatedly failed a particular course.

The most recent case was reported on June 17.

The body of Modupe Ayandare, a final-year student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State, was discovered hanging at the back of a church most of her off-campus hostel. She was dressed in white clothes.

A course mate, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that Ayandare left the hostel on Sunday for a church programme, but did not return.

“We were surprised when we heard she committed suicide early this morning (Monday) around 4am after the vigil,” the course mate said. (Adapted from a Weekend Trust report)

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