On Thursday [today], Nigerians woke up to the rude shock about Amarachi Ugochukwu, a female marketing staff of the Globus Bank, who reportedly committed suicide on Wednesday right in the bank’s premises.
The 32-year-old lady reportedly ended her life within the bank premises after drinking a notorious insecticide, allegedly leaving a suicide note behind.
In the suicide note, she gave reasons for taking her life and apologized to her family while she also prayed God to have Mercy upon her.
She wrote, “Nothing is working in my life, my figures are low, my brain is clogged up, the economy is getting harder, my decisions are wrong, my mind is messed up.
“The future doesn’t seem bright at all, I see extreme hardship, I can’t bear the pain anymore.
“I’m sorry mum, I’m sorry dad, I’m sorry Nene, Okwe, Toto, Nazor, Chuchu, Ifunanya.”
“Dear Lord, have mercy on me!”
Rise in suicide cases among youths
Barely three days to the New Year, a 33-year-old man, Adebayo Busayo, also committed suicide at his sister’s house on Stanley Street, Ipamaki, Ibafo, Ogun State.
The deceased, before his death, was said to have casually told his sister that he was tired of life.
Similarly in Abia State, a 31-year-old man, Chukwuma Onoh, on December 13, was reported to have committed suicide after reportedly losing N2.5m in an online bet.
Onoh was said to have borrowed N1.2m from friends, which he combined with his own N1.3m to place a bet, which he did not win eventually.
Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria currently criminalizes suicide attempts, stating that, ‘Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for one year’
According to reports, Onoh had, earlier on the same day in a WhatsApp message, pleaded with a man said to be his boss to help him clear a debt of N1.2m which he incurred after losing the N2.5 million bet.
He had written, “The only option is to end my life, as I cannot live with the shame. I have turned into a gambler because of no job, and right now, I am at a point if I don’t redeem my debt, I might kill myself to pay the debt.”
This was after he had earlier posted a similar message on his Facebook page two hours after ingesting an insecticide.
Suicide over boyfriend’s death, threatenings, betrayal
On the same December 13, 2023, a 22-year-old lady, Florence Vandi, reportedly committed suicide over her boyfriend’s death in Adamawa State.
The incident happened at Viniklang community, Girei Local Government Area, where the deceased was said to have consumed a poisonous substance locally called “Otapiyapiya”.
The Police spokesman in Adamawa, Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the development.
He said, “The deceased, an indigene of Michika LGA in the state, ended her life by consuming the local substance. She was protesting the death of her boyfriend.
“She took the unfortunate decision a few hours after the death of her boyfriend, Nuhu Boniface, who died after a brief illness while receiving treatment at the hospital.”
On May 29, a United Kingdom-based Nigerian-born Alanis Ogundipe, committed suicide after she had been allegedly blackmailed by her boyfriend, an Italian Ryan Leggetts.
The 26-year-old Alanis was said to have jumped into a moving train at a train station in Manchester.
suicide is an offshoot of depression, drug abuse, anxiety and mental illness -physician
The incident happened after Leggets had allegedly broken into her phone, copied her documents and threatened to reveal her private information to the public.
Alani’s father, Oladapo Ogundipe, who raised the alarm over the circumstances that led to his daughter’s death, said Leggetts went further to make financial demands from her. He was also said to have infected Alanis with herpes and had threatened to reveal the infection to people in her social circle.
In September 2022, A Nigerian lady, Olaitan Adonis, had committed suicide after her boyfriend, identified as Ola Saheed, reportedly used her money to marry another woman.
Olaitan, who had a seven-year-old son, was in what she thought was a serious relationship with the young man and was saving money in his bank account. Reports alleged that the boyfriend, however, used the money to marry someone else and, upon receiving the news, Olaitan, who was reportedly devastated by her lover’s betrayal, was said to have consumed a poisonous substance to end it all.
Alarming statistics
Approximately 700,000 people commit suicide annually. This number excludes the larger number of people who attempt suicide yearly, according to the World Health Organisation.
About 79% of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries, WHO stated, although suicide rates are highest in high-income countries.
In Nigeria, the age-standardised suicide rate was 6.9 per 100,000 population in 2019 across both sexes. However, male suicide rates were higher at 10.1 per 100,000 population.
The Mental Health Act 2021 aims to improve and safeguard the well-being of individuals dealing with mental illnesses
The suicide rate in Nigeria was 6.9 per 100,000 people in 2019. This rate has since increased, however, with the WHO estimating 9.5 suicides per 100,000 people in the country.
Due to underreporting, the actual figures might be even higher, experts say; though Nigeria is not among the Top-10 country with the highest suicide rates in Africa, as seen in this table by the WHO:
Nigerian laws on suicide
The Mental Health Act 2021, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, aims to improve and safeguard the well-being of individuals dealing with mental illnesses by enhancing access to mental health care.
The law introduces human rights protection for those with mental health conditions, prohibiting discrimination in housing, employment, medical, and other social services.
Furthermore, the legislation ensures that individuals undergoing treatments have the right to actively participate in shaping their medical plans. It prohibits forced treatment, seclusion, or other restraining methods in mental health facilities without appropriate safeguards.
The law establishes the creation of a new Mental Health Fund, a Mental Health Department within the Federal Ministry of Health, and a Mental Health Assessment Committee to safeguard stakeholders.
Additionally, it broadens community-based coverage and enhances the care and management of individuals with mental health conditions.
Meanwhile, Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act (which applies to Southern Nigeria) currently criminalizes suicide attempts, stating that, “Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for one year.”
mental health specialists are quite few in Nigeria, that is why we are trying to reach out and train medical officers -Physician
However, many medical practitioners advocate for the decriminalization of suicide.
Experts proffer solutions
A consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Rotimi Coker, said suicide is an offshoot of depression, drug abuse, anxiety and mental illness.
He noted that depression can be treated, cured and managed successfully with psychotherapy (counselling or talk therapy).
Likewise, medications, such as anti-depressants, can be prescribed for those who have severe depression.
Dr. Coker said, “In its mild and moderate stages, the person suffering from depression can be counselled by a mental health expert through the use of different types of counselling techniques.
“The most common form of such counselling is the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. However, if CBT does not provide the healing that one desires, then the individual is placed on antidepressant tablets. There are many types of very good antidepressants in Nigeria.”
The mental health expert noted that there are various mental health experts which include psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric nurses, and social workers in mental health.
Dearth of mental health experts
According to the physician, “Mental health specialists are quite few in Nigeria, that is why we are trying to reach out and train medical officers in primary care centres, general hospitals, general practitioners, family physicians, spiritual and community leaders on how to recognise depression and other common mental illnesses.”
Depression is like any other physical illness; if recognised and diagnosed at its early stages, it can be treated without any serious complications
He stated, “Depression is like any other physical illness; if recognised and diagnosed at its early stages, it can be treated without any serious complications.”
In the same light, the church, non-governmental organisations, the electronic and print media and home video producers have major roles to play, the doctor said, noting, “They all need to collaborate with mental health experts in reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.”
He also advised on the need to carry out frequent advocacy programmes, awareness campaigns and reach-out programmes in the all the Local Government Areas and every state in Nigeria to enlighten Nigerians that mental illnesses are not caused by demons, evil spirit, charms, or as a form of punishment from the gods as portrayed in our local home videos.
people need to collaborate with mental health experts in reducing the stigma associated with mental illness
These programmes, he added, will enlighten our people that mental health conditions can be cured and also properly managed like most physical health conditions.
Coker added, “We need to also show Nigerians that people with mental health conditions (even the chronic ones) can also be productive and integrated back to the society.
“The society should assist the mental health experts to carry out programmes to reduce the stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental illness. After all, anybody can be ill mentally.”
