By Folasade Akpan

In December 2025, the reported death of Nigerian Law School student Ayomiposi Ojajuni reignited concerns about the fragile state of students’ mental health in Nigeria.

He was allegedly barred from writing the Bar Final examinations at the Yola campus in Adamawa.

The incident, though still under investigation, has once again brought to the fore the intense academic pressure, emotional strain and limited psychological support systems confronting many young people in tertiary institutions.

Ojajuni, a graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, was said to have received a series of queries from the school authorities and later discovered he would not be allowed to sit for the professional examinations scheduled for the same day.

Indeed, available data underscores the urgency of the issue.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in every eight people globally lives with a mental health condition, with depression and anxiety among the leading causes of illness among adolescents and young adults.

In Nigeria, experts estimate that one in four young people may be experiencing some form of mental health challenge, yet access to care remains limited due to stigma, cost and shortage of professionals.

Against this backdrop, students across universities and professional schools face mounting pressures, including heavy academic workloads, financial constraints, family expectations, and social comparisons.

Experts say these factors can greatly affect mental wellbeing if not properly managed.

Sharing his experience, Mr Funbi Phillip, a law graduate of Lead City University, Ibadan, described the mental strain associated with studying law as one of the most demanding aspects of his academic journey.

According to him, the constant pressure to keep up with coursework, assignments, legal drafting and memorisation of numerous cases often felt overwhelming.

“The most challenging part for me was the mental pressure of having to keep up with heavy coursework, assignments, drafting briefs and memorising cases.

“It is a lot, but with consistency, it becomes manageable,” he said.

Phillip emphasised that effective time management was critical to navigating the demands of law school.

“I prioritise my time based on urgency. I make sure I handle continuous assessments before focusing on exams. Everything is about planning”.

He added that a turning point in his academic journey came when he shifted from rote memorisation to a deeper understanding of legal principles, noting that success in law school requires critical thinking, strong writing skills, time management and emotional resilience.

Similarly, students in other demanding disciplines report comparable experiences.

A pharmacy undergraduate, Ms Tiamiyu Omotayo of the same institution, said balancing academic expectations with personal wellbeing and career aspirations could be challenging.

According to her, practical exposure through internships helped her cope with the rigours of pharmacy education.

“The transition from theory to clinical practice is very important. It helps you appreciate what you have learned in class,” she said.

However, she noted that one of her biggest struggles was coping with unmet personal expectations regarding academic performance.

Omotayo said that although her results were good, they did not always align with the high standards she set for herself.

To manage stress, she said she deliberately took breaks and remained focused on her long-term goals, advising prospective students to pursue the profession out of passion rather than financial expectations.

Experts say such experiences are far from isolated.

Rev. Fr. Anthony Azuwike, Head of the Department of Private and Property Law at Veritas University, Abuja, said emotional distress among young people was becoming an increasing concern.

According to him, students are particularly vulnerable because they face academic demands alongside broader socio-economic challenges.

He identified parental expectations as a major source of stress, noting that the inability to meet such expectations often leaves young people feeling overwhelmed.

Azuwike also cited financial hardship, relationship challenges and health conditions as contributing factors.

He further pointed to policy gaps in Nigeria’s mental health framework.

While acknowledging the Mental Health Act signed in 2023 as a step forward, he noted that it does not fully decriminalise attempted suicide nationwide.

“The law recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency, which is progress.

“However, it does not explicitly decriminalise it, despite growing understanding that such cases require care rather than punishment,” he said.

He stressed that institutions have a duty to protect students’ wellbeing through accessible counselling services, confidentiality and supportive environments that discourage stigma.

Corroborating this view, mental health professionals highlight systemic challenges.

Mrs Rosemary Uwaleme, a mental health counsellor at Inspire Minds Services, said emotional distress among Nigerian undergraduates was widespread.

She attributed this to financial difficulties, unstable family backgrounds and limited access to support systems.

“Many students do not seek help because of stigma. There is also the issue of cost and the limited availability of services on campuses,” she said.

Uwaleme called for stronger counselling systems, increased awareness and regular training for mental health professionals within educational institutions.

In the same vein, psychologists emphasise preventive approaches.

Prof. Remi Alarape of the University of Ibadan urged tertiary institutions to establish robust mental health support systems to prevent students in distress from reaching breaking points.

“Without effective coping strategies, students may equate failure in examinations with failure in life. This can lead to deep emotional distress,” he said.

He advocated a culture that prioritises wellbeing alongside academic achievement and encourages open conversations about mental health.

Beyond institutions, civil society organisations are also stepping in.

The Dora-Care Behavioral Foundation recently organised a Mental Health First Aid outreach for students in Lagos, aimed at equipping young people with knowledge and basic support skills.

Its founder, Ms Akinyelure Feyikemi, said early awareness was key to building resilience among students.

“Equipping students with the tools to understand and support their mental health is crucial for raising a generation that is both academically capable and emotionally resilient,” she said.

Medical experts also underscore the link between mental and physical health.

Dr Joseph Ogba of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, described mental health as fundamental to overall wellbeing.

“There is no physical health without mental health,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Lucky Jet, Head of the Child and Adolescent Occupational Therapy Unit at the hospital, encouraged peer support among students.

“If you notice changes in a friend, reach out. Support can make a significant difference,” he said.

As conversations around mental health continue to gain traction in Nigeria, stakeholders say more coordinated action is needed.

They stress that the incident involving Ojajuni should serve as a wake-up call for institutions, families and policymakers.

Ultimately, experts agree that academic excellence must not come at the expense of psychological wellbeing.

For many, the way forward lies in strengthening campus counselling systems, reducing stigma, expanding access to care and fostering a culture where seeking help is viewed as a sign of strength rather than weakness.

Only then can Nigeria’s education system produce not just academically successful graduates, but emotionally resilient individuals equipped to navigate life beyond the classroom. (NAN)

By Tochukwu Jimo Obi

The latest wave of violence in Nigeria has once again exposed the fragility of the nation’s security framework. The unfortunate killing of scores of innocent people at Gari Ya Waye community in Angwan Rukuba, Jos, raises troubling questions about the seriousness and effectiveness of the country’s security architecture.

The attack, which occurred on Palm Sunday night, March 29, 2026, around 7:50 p.m., plunged the community into chaos. Residents fled in panic as sustained gunfire echoed through the area, leaving behind a trail of death, destruction, and trauma.

Even more disturbing is the fact that this tragedy did not come without warning. Reports indicate that the attackers had previously issued threats, explicitly stating that violence would follow the end of Ramadan. Despite this intelligence, and despite a few arrests reportedly made by security agencies, the attack was not prevented. This failure highlights a dangerous gap between intelligence gathering and actionable response.

The horror in Jos is not an isolated incident. Across the country, from Kaduna State to Zamfara State and Niger State, similar killings continue to occur with alarming frequency. Communities are repeatedly attacked, lives are cut short, and families are left shattered. This is one killing too many in a nation already burdened by years of insecurity.

At its core, the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property. In Nigeria, this fundamental duty has, for years, remained largely unfulfilled. Citizens increasingly feel abandoned, forced to navigate daily life under the constant threat of violence, kidnapping, and loss.

Every day, lives are lost in ways that are both avoidable and unacceptable. Many others are abducted and held for ransom, often with little or no meaningful intervention from authorities. The normalization of these incidents has created a climate of fear and helplessness, eroding public confidence in the state’s ability to protect its people.

A recurring pattern in these attacks further deepens the frustration. Armed assailants, often arriving on motorbikes, strike swiftly and escape without resistance. This raises a critical question: why have security agencies been unable to comprehensively identify these attackers, trace their origins, and dismantle their networks? Reactive responses after each attack are no longer sufficient; what is needed is a proactive, intelligence-driven strategy that takes the fight to the perpetrators.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu must treat this crisis with the urgency it demands. The continued bloodshed of innocent Nigerians is unacceptable. Decisive action, backed by political will and operational efficiency, is needed to restore confidence and ensure safety across the country.

If necessary, the government should not hesitate to seek foreign assistance to strengthen its security capabilities. There is no shame in collaboration when the lives of citizens are at stake. Enough of these killings and abductions.

Nigerians deserve peace, security, and the assurance that their government will stand firmly in defense of their lives.

Tochukwu Jimo Obi, a concerned Nigerian writes from Obosi Idemili LGA in Anambra State.

By Ibironke Ariyo

Nigeria’s migration corridors are now more frequently targeted by organised criminal networks exploiting citizens seeking opportunities abroad.

Emerging evidence shows that these operations are becoming more sophisticated and driven by technology.

In recent years, authorities say migrant smuggling has evolved into a complex transnational enterprise, requiring coordinated national responses, stronger institutional frameworks and intelligence-led enforcement strategies.

At the centre of this response is the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The Service combines border surveillance, intelligence sharing, prosecution support and sustained public sensitisation to disrupt smuggling networks operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

To provide context, migration experts note that migrant smuggling differs from human trafficking because migrants initially consent to movement.

However, deception, exploitation and abandonment often follow when smugglers prioritise profit over safety and legality.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), West Africa remains a major origin and transit region for smuggling routes leading to North Africa, Europe and parts of the Middle East.

The UN body says this is largely driven by unemployment pressures and widespread misinformation.

More importantly, UNODC reports indicate that smugglers now rely heavily on forged travel documents, visa fraud, fake employment schemes and online recruitment platforms.

While this reduces dependence on dangerous desert crossings, it greatly increases financial exploitation risks for migrants.

Against this backdrop, NIS officials say statistics are currently guiding enforcement decisions and shaping operational priorities.

In recent operational years, immigration authorities recorded thousands of refused departures at Nigerian airports after identifying passengers travelling with suspicious documentation or inconsistent migration histories.

Explaining this shift, an NIS border commander said advanced passenger screening systems now enable officers to detect irregular travel patterns before departure.

“We are no longer reacting at borders alone; intelligence begins before passengers arrive at airports.

“Technology integration has significantly improved early detection capabilities across major international terminals,” he said.

Similarly, at a stakeholders’ sensitisation seminar held on Nov. 11, 2025, titled “Evolving Patterns in Smuggling of Migrants: Towards a Coordinated National Response,” officials highlighted changing smuggling tactics.

They stressed that smugglers are currently exploiting legal travel channels rather than relying solely on irregular border crossings.

Providing further insight, the Comptroller-General of NIS, Kemi Nandap, said the Service had strengthened its legal and institutional frameworks while expanding training programmes to improve officers’ capacity to detect and prevent smuggling activities.

“Recently, the border patrol at Seme denied entry to 332 migrants without valid travel documents.

“294 Nigerians, suspected of attempting irregular migration under the ‘Japa Syndrome,’ were stopped from leaving the country,” she said.

In addition, the NIS CG noted that 36 victims of human trafficking and child labour were rescued at the border, attributing the successes to improved surveillance, including the installation of new CCTV cameras at strategic locations.

Furthermore, during the inauguration of the 2025 Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Week in Abuja, the Federal Government pledged to further strengthen Nigeria’s intelligence architecture and border security framework to dismantle organised smuggling syndicates.

Nandap said the government was intensifying a multi-layered response to emerging smuggling trends that pose serious risks to human life and national security.

She reaffirmed the commitment of the Service, pledging that the NIS would continue to deepen border security and intelligence capabilities, dismantle smuggling networks, prosecute offenders and protect migrants, especially women and children.

In the same vein, she said the Service would strengthen domestic and international partnerships while upholding the dignity and human rights of migrants regardless of status.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Nandap said Nigeria, as a country of origin, transit and destination, could not afford to ignore the growing sophistication of smuggling networks.

She explained that these networks now rely heavily on digital platforms, encrypted communication, falsified documents and transnational criminal collaborations.

She warned that migrants were increasingly exposed to grave dangers, including trafficking, extortion, sexual exploitation, violence and death, especially along irregular desert and sea routes.

“The activities of smugglers threaten border integrity, public safety and internal security.

“The NIS, with the support of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has adopted a technology-driven and intelligence-led strategy to combat the menace.

“The Service has strengthened surveillance across land, sea and air borders through the deployment of a Command and Control Centre that mirrors nationwide operations, alongside the Migration Information and Data Analysis System.

“Also, Advanced Passenger Information Systems, Passenger Name Records, e-gates at international airports and Huawei-powered e-border solutions installed at more than 144 border locations nationwide,” she maintained.

Beyond national efforts, Nandap added that Nigeria had continued to deepen cooperation with ECOWAS, the African Union (AU), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UNODC and INTERPOL, among others.

According to her, these partnerships enhance capacity building, intelligence sharing, joint investigations and safe return programmes, while bilateral agreements with transit and destination countries have improved early warning systems and cross-border law enforcement.

Equally important, she said the Service had scaled up public sensitisation to counter false narratives used by smugglers to lure young Nigerians.

She revealed that more than 579,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members were sensitised in 2025.

“This is in addition to widespread outreach in border communities, schools, transport unions and youth associations across the country.

“The campaigns focus on exposing digital recruitment tactics, fake job offers abroad and the importance of safe, orderly and regular migration channels,” she emphasised.

Reinforcing the human dimension of the crisis, Nandap said, “The fight against the smuggling of migrants is not only a security imperative but also a moral responsibility.

“Every smuggled migrant represents a life at risk and a family disrupted”.

She urged government agencies, international organisations, civil society and the private sector to sustain collaboration.

“Our success depends on acting as one national front guided by protection, accountability, and human dignity. Together, we can build a Nigeria where safe and regular migration becomes the norm,” she maintained.

In a related development, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, also cautioned Nigerians against embarking on dangerous and irregular migration journeys.

Speaking at an event organised by the Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights Institute to commemorate the 2025 International Human Rights Day, she highlighted the risks associated with such decisions.

Dabiri Erewa said that over the years, many Nigerians had willingly entered life-threatening situations abroad, noting that the commission was working with partners to assist stranded citizens.

“In Iraq alone, there are over 7,000 stranded. They are looking for hope and hopelessness. Citizens often underestimate the dangers of illegal migration,” she lamented.

She advised Nigerians to invest in opportunities at home, stressing that, “the grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it”.

To further illustrate the risks, she cited a case of a young woman who returned from Libya after using funds meant for medical care to finance her journey.

“She paid around N2.5 million to travel illegally to Libya despite lacking medical care at home; this money could have been used for better purposes.

“She came back with nothing. Such cases illustrate why advocacy and preventive measures are crucial,” she said.

Highlighting the dangers along migration routes, Dabiri-Erewa revealed that one in 24 migrants risk being killed in Libya, adding that efforts were ongoing to repatriate 10,500 stranded children.

She emphasised the need for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to address the problem.

Meanwhile, experts say enforcement gains are increasingly being measured beyond arrests alone.

For instance, coordinated monitoring has helped dismantle document-fraud networks operating between Nigeria and destination countries, leading to arrests and ongoing prosecutions through inter-agency collaboration.

In addition, the IOM reports that thousands of stranded Nigerian migrants have been assisted through voluntary return programmes, many recounting deception by smugglers.

Analysts argue that such return statistics indirectly reflect prevention success, as awareness campaigns reduce vulnerability to recruitment networks.

Corroborating this view, an NIS public affairs officer said sensitisation campaigns across universities, motor parks and border communities now form a core prevention strategy addressing misinformation driving irregular migration.

The officer said enforcement alone cannot solve migrant smuggling, adding that education is essential because smugglers thrive where accurate migration information is absent.

From a broader policy perspective, experts from academia note that Nigeria’s migration governance has gradually shifted from reactive policing to preventive migration management, aligning with international best practices.

Similarly, improved coordination with neighbouring countries has strengthened intelligence exchanges targeting smuggling facilitators operating along porous land borders.

Security analysts say joint patrol arrangements and biometric verification systems have reduced identity fraud, a key enabler of migrant smuggling operations.

Migration researchers also note that biometric data integration allows authorities to track repeat migration attempts linked to organised smuggling rings, thereby strengthening investigative evidence used in prosecutions.

At the same time, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has partnered with NIS to distinguish trafficking victims from smuggled migrants, ensuring that rescued individuals receive protection rather than punishment.

Officials say this collaboration has improved victim identification procedures at airports and border posts, preventing wrongful detention of vulnerable migrants.

Gender specialists further highlight that women and young people remain disproportionately targeted, especially through deceptive domestic work recruitment schemes.

Humanitarian agencies also report that many returnees face heavy debt burdens after paying large sums to smugglers, underscoring the economic dimension of migrant smuggling.

Given these dynamics, experts stress that measuring NIS impact must go beyond arrest figures to include prevention outcomes, reduced fraudulent departures and improved public awareness.

They argue that success indicators increasingly include behavioural change among travellers, reflected in higher compliance with documentation requirements and declining reliance on informal migration agents.

NIS officials say ongoing training programmes are equipping officers with investigative skills aligned with international migration law while ensuring respect for human rights.

In addition, the agency has adopted digital record systems to improve data accuracy, enabling policymakers to track long-term migration patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

Observers note that Nigeria’s reforms align with broader African Union efforts promoting safe, orderly and regular migration pathways across the continent.

However, albeit these gains, experts warn that economic pressures and global labour demand will continue to sustain migrant smuggling attempts.

They therefore call for sustained investment in technology, partnerships and public education.

Ultimately, migration researchers conclude that data-driven strategies offer Nigeria a strong tool against evolving smuggling tactics, enabling authorities to anticipate trends rather than merely respond to crises. (NAN)