Suicide is death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die. According to Centre Of Disease Control And Prevention, more than 700,000 people die due to suicide every year.Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29 years old and it's a serious public health problem.
Nigeria has the highest suicide rate in Africa. In 2021, Nigeria recorded 51 cases of suicide in 12 months.
According to Dr Okwudili Obayi, a consultant psychiatrist at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki and National Publicity Secretary Association of psychiatrist in Nigeria, ''there is a link between economic status and mental health because the impact of economic challenge is on the brain. It is on mental health so there is a link.
This means that economic situation of the country can equally affect ones mental health.
At the other hand, attempting suicide is when someone harms himself with an intent to end his life but do not die as a result of the action. In Nigeria, this is a criminal offence under Nigerian criminal laws.
According to section 327 of the Criminal Code Act, any person who attempt to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to one year imprisonment.
Despite all these, a lady in her 30s, identified as Adetutu Adedokun yesterday 10th of November 2022, alighted from a Uber taxi car on the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge and plunged into the lagoon.
It was gathered that lady had an argument with her fiance.
Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Agency, Dr. Olufemi Osanyintolu, who gave the update on the situation, said the emergency services of the state were already searching for her in the lagoon.
He said: “Upon arrival of the Lagos Response Team (LRT) at the incident scene, investigation revealed that a lady in her late 30s plunged into the Lagos lagoon
“Further investigation revealed that the lady alighted from a Uber taxi car on the bridge and plunged into the lagoon.
”The driver of the taxi claimed she was having a heated conversation with her fiance before alighting from the car.
“The LRT, men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue service, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and officials of the Department of State Service (DSS) are currently on ground working together in search for the victim.”
Federal Government has been trying to curb the issue of suicide through the following ways; Creation of awareness, Youth empowerment program and provision of free telephone counsellor hotline.
According to Olayinka Atilola, a Consultant Psychiatrist, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), one has to check his/her mental health from time to time.
He also suggested that the Federal government should ensure the provision of mental health service in each of the primary health care centers across the country.
This, according to him, will provide a means of helping those who might want to
attempt suicide, adding that the best approach to combat
suicide is to provide psychiatric help.
Finally," the Federal and State Governments should endeavour to have
a programme that will allow people to talk about
their health problems and other challenges of life
that are daily confronting them which can serve as
impetus to committing suicide".
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