TheCable Fact Check
  • Home
  • Fact Check
  • Fake News
  • Check Am For Wazobia
Reading: FACT CHECK: Does Nigeria rank sixth globally in suicide rates?
Share
Latest News
FACT CHECK: Video attributed to ‘security operatives’ breaking into apartment isn’t from south-east
FAKE NEWS ALERT: WAEC denies viral list showing schools affected by results cancellation
Ḿbà, Nwifuru àkwụ́sịghị́ ńdị́ kọ̀mị́shọnà ya ọ́rụ́ màkà nà há ábịaghị ńchètá ọ̀mụ́mụ́ nwá ya
No, Nwifuru no suspend officials becos dem no gree attend im pikin birthday party
Nwifuru kò dá àwọn òṣìṣẹ́ dúró lẹ́nu iṣẹ́ nítorí pé wọ́n kò wá sí ibi ayẹyẹ ọjọ́ ìbí ọmọ rẹ̀
A’a, Nwifuru bai dakatar da jami’ai ba saboda rashin halartar bikin ranar haihuwar yaro
Video wey show as ‘bridge collapse for Nasarawa’ na AI
AI ni wọ́n fi se fídíò afárá ti wọ́n ní ó wó ní Nasarawa
Advertisement
Aa
TheCable Fact CheckTheCable Fact Check
Search
  • Home
  • Fact Check
  • Fake News
  • Check Am For Wazobia
Follow US

FACT CHECK: Does Nigeria rank sixth globally in suicide rates?

Jesupemi Are
By Jesupemi Are Published December 19, 2024 3 Min Read
Share

Adesanmi Akinsulore, a professor and consultant psychiatrist at Awolowo University and the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, says Nigeria ranks sixth globally among countries with the highest suicide rates.

According to Punch, Akinsulore made the claim during a lecture at an event organised by The Still Waters Mental Health Foundation, held at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Oyo state.

He said there is an urgent need for collaborative efforts to address the issue, especially among students.

“There is one suicide for every 25 attempts. In 2021, suicide was the third leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds globally,” he was quoted as saying.

“Navigating the storm is a collective responsibility. We must work together to create a supportive and inclusive environment that promotes student well-being and resilience.”

BACKGROUND

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 700,000 people die by suicide every year with an estimated 20 suicide attempts for each suicide.

The organisation said suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds (for both sexes) globally, adding that 73 percent of all suicides happened in low- and middle-income countries.

Risk factors for suicide include depression, alcohol use disorders, loss, loneliness, discrimination, relationship disputes, financial problems, chronic pain and illness, violence, abuse, and conflict or other humanitarian emergencies.

There have been reports of suicide in Nigeria in recent times.

In October, Omolayo Bamidele, a 58-year-old man, reportedly committed suicide in Igburowo town, Odigbo LGA of Ondo.

Residents of the community said Bamidele’s body was found on a dusty road with a bottle of a chemical substance suspected to be “Sniper” beside him.

In September, Gabriel Magaji, a 38-year-old resident of Masaka in Karu LGA of Nasarawa, committed suicide over alleged infidelity by his wife.

DOES NIGERIA RANK SIXTH IN GLOBAL SUICIDE RATES?

TheCable reached out to Akinsulore but he was unwilling to share the source of his data.

However, checks by CableCheck found that according to WHO data on suicide mortality rate which the organisation said was last updated on January 8, 2024, Nigeria ranks 157th on the list with 3.5 suicides per 100,000 people.

The top 10 countries by ranking are Lesotho (72.4 suicides per 100,000 people), Guyana (40.3 suicides per 100,000 people), Eswatini (29.4 suicides per 100,000 people), Republic of Korea (28.6 suicides per 100,000 people), Kiribati (28.3 suicides per 100,000 people), and Micronesia (28.2 suicides per 100,000 people).

Others are Lithuania (26.1 suicides per 100,000 people), Suriname (25.4 suicides per 100,000 people), Russian Federation (25.1 suicides per 100,000 people), and South Africa (23.5 suicides per 100,000 people).

This data shows that Micronesia ranks sixth globally among countries with the highest suicide rates.

VERDICT

Nigeria does not rank sixth globally among countries with the highest suicide rates.

TAGGED: Suicide in Nigeria

Please send your feedback, claims to fact check and corrections requests to [email protected]

Jesupemi Are December 19, 2024 December 19, 2024
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

POPULAR POSTS

Advertisement

FACT CHECK: Video attributed to ‘security operatives’ breaking into apartment isn’t from south-east

A Facebook user has claimed that a video showing hooded armed security operatives breaking into…

August 5, 2025

FAKE NEWS ALERT: WAEC denies viral list showing schools affected by results cancellation

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has dismissed a viral list which claimed that results…

August 5, 2025

Ḿbà, Nwifuru àkwụ́sịghị́ ńdị́ kọ̀mị́shọnà ya ọ́rụ́ màkà nà há ábịaghị ńchètá ọ̀mụ́mụ́ nwá ya

Ótù ozi na shoshal midia ekwuola na Francis Nwifuru, gọvanọ Ebonyi steeti, kwụsịrị ndị komịshọna…

August 1, 2025

No, Nwifuru no suspend officials becos dem no gree attend im pikin birthday party

One social media post claim sey Francis Nwifuru, govnor of Ebonyi, suspend 25 commissioners and…

August 1, 2025
Advertisement
Advertisement

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

FACT CHECK: Video attributed to ‘security operatives’ breaking into apartment isn’t from south-east

A Facebook user has claimed that a video showing hooded armed security operatives breaking into a residential apartment happened in…

Fact Check
August 5, 2025

FAKE NEWS ALERT: WAEC denies viral list showing schools affected by results cancellation

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has dismissed a viral list which claimed that results of some schools in the…

Fact CheckFake News Alert
August 5, 2025

FACT CHECK: No, Nwifuru didn’t suspend officials for failing to attend child’s birthday party

A social media post claims that Francis Nwifuru, governor of Ebonyi, suspended 25 commissioners and other appointees for failing to…

Fact Check
July 29, 2025

FACT CHECK: Video showing ‘bridge collapsing in Nasarawa’ is AI-generated

A video showing a bridge collapse incident is circulating across social media platforms, especially on Facebook. In the five-second video,…

Fact Check
July 24, 2025

CableCheck seeks to provide reliable tools and resources for readers to tackle the menace of fake and misleading materials constantly pushed into the public space from various sources. We monitor the accuracy of claims made in traditional and social media. We also provide a tracker to hold politicians and policymakers accountable for the plans and promises they make to the public. CableCheck is a project of the Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation (CNJF), supported by the MacArthur Foundation and implemented by TheCable newspaper.

Follow US: 

LINKS

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Non-Partisanship Policy
  • Funding
  • Correction Policy
© Copyright TheCable. All Rights reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?