Preventing Suicide among Students and Lecturers in the Event of Sexual Scandals and Blackmail in Nigerian Universities

Abstract The study focused on preventing suicide among students and lecturers in the event of sexual scandals and blackmail in Nigerian universities. Survey design was adopted for this study. The sample for the study comprised 500 students and 366 lecturers were selected using stratified sampling technique. This was done by dividing the total population into smaller groups known as strata and taking random samples from each group. The Taro-Yemane formula was used to determine the adequacy of the sample size. A self-structured questionnaire titled “Preventing Suicide among Students and Lecturers Questionnaire - PSSLQ” was used to collect data for the study. Four-point Likert scale was used. The options are Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). The researcher administered a total of 866 questionnaire to randomly selected respondents in the study area. Simple percentage, mean scores and standard deviation provide answers to the research questions while Pearson Product Moment Statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed knowledge of the causes of suicide among students and lecturers in the event of sexual scandals and blackmail in Nigerian universities and the strategies to curb suicide among students and lecturers in the event of sexual scandals and blackmail in Nigerian universities. The study concluded that by equipping students and lecturers with the knowledge, skills, and resources to address harassment, blackmail, and mental health crises, universities can foster safer and more supportive environments. This requires a multi-faceted approach involving education, policy enforcement, and mental health support, backed by collaboration between universities, government, and advocacy groups. Addressing this issue is not only a matter of protecting individual well-being but also of restoring trust in Nigeria’s higher education system. Keywords Suicide PreventionSexual ScandalsBlackmailStudentsLecturers