Stakeholders Demand Urgent Action as Bullying in Nigerian Schools Linked to Mental Health Crisis, Drug Abuse Risks

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Stakeholders across government institutions, security agencies, civil society organisations, and the education sector have called for urgent and coordinated national action to tackle rising cases of bullying in Nigerian schools, warning that the menace is fueling mental health challenges, substance abuse risks, and broader social instability among young people.

The call was made yesterday in Abuja at a Stakeholder Consultative Dialogue on Anti-Bullying in Nigerian Schools convened by International Alert Nigeria, where participants stressed that Nigeria can no longer treat bullying as a routine school discipline issue, but as a national social and security concern requiring structured intervention.

Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd.), warned that unchecked bullying significantly increases the risk of substance abuse among young people, particularly those already exposed to emotional and psychological distress.

Represented by Henrietta HoldGod of the agency’s Counselling and Psychosocial Support Unit, Marwa said persistent victims of bullying often suffer anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and social withdrawal, conditions that can push them toward drug use as a coping mechanism.

He stressed that prevention of bullying aligns directly with the NDLEA’s national preventive mandate.

“Protecting children from bullying also means protecting them from pathways that may lead to drug abuse and other harmful behaviours,” he said, warning that safer schools are critical to building healthier and more resilient communities.

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Hajiya Binta Bello, described bullying as a violation of human rights that demands zero tolerance across all learning environments.

Represented by Director Rebecca Enwusoyere, Bello called for strict enforcement of school-level anti-bullying policies, stronger parental responsibility, and sustained community participation in behavioural reform.

She also urged schools to establish safe reporting systems and empower students with tools to identify and report bullying without fear of retaliation, warning that silence often deepens trauma and worsens outcomes for victims.

A Senior Research Fellow in International Education and Development at the Open University, Dr. Margaret Ebubedike, said bullying has intensified in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, with severe consequences for students’ psychological wellbeing and academic performance.

She noted that bullying extends beyond individual victims, disrupting learning environments, weakening academic engagement, and placing additional strain on families and schools.

Citing regional research, she said between 27 and 50 percent of children in Sub-Saharan Africa experience bullying, adding that Nigeria appears to be facing an even more severe situation, with more than half of secondary school students reportedly affected.

“This is not a marginal issue. It is a systemic challenge affecting education quality and youth development,” she said.

The Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Audi, warned that unresolved bullying cases could escalate into broader security threats if not addressed early and decisively.

Represented by CSC Adeoye Adegoke, he said early detection systems, reporting structures, and coordinated institutional responses are essential to preventing escalation from school-based aggression to wider social violence.

The federal government, on its part, restated its commitment to addressing bullying through the National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Schools, which it says provides a framework for accountability, prevention, and enforcement across the education system.

Representing the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs. Augustine Udo urged stakeholders to move beyond policy formulation to full implementation, stressing the need for practical mechanisms that ensure protection of students at all levels.

The Federal Ministry of Education Nigeria also confirmed that implementation guidelines have been developed alongside a dedicated committee tasked with ensuring nationwide rollout of anti-bullying measures across schools.

Behavioural Change Communication expert, Ms. Ayotola Ilori, presented alarming figures indicating that 32 percent of Nigerians aged 12 to 17 have experienced bullying, while up to 85 percent are either victims, perpetrators, or both.

She described the statistics as evidence of a deeply entrenched social problem requiring urgent, multi-sectoral intervention.

Ilori welcomed the 2025 National Anti-Bullying Policy but warned that without system-wide implementation across schools and communities, the framework risks becoming ineffective.

She also called for nationwide coordination across all 774 local government areas, urging students to break the culture of silence and report incidents promptly.

Country Director of International Alert Nigeria, Dr. Kingsley Udo, said the organisation convened the dialogue in response to growing concerns over recent bullying incidents, including widely publicised cases in Edo State.

Represented by Programme Manager Sunday Jimoh, he said the objective was to move beyond awareness creation toward concrete policy reforms and actionable interventions.

He noted that bullying is not confined to schools but also occurs in workplaces, sports, and leadership spaces, describing it as a wider societal behavioural challenge.

Udo added that the organisation is working with schools to establish Youth Peace Clubs to train students in conflict resolution and psychosocial awareness, while also developing safe reporting systems to ensure timely intervention.

At the end of the meeting, organisers said a communiqué and policy roadmap would be produced to guide advocacy and strengthen national response mechanisms against bullying across Nigeria’s education system.