The federal government has described bullying as a dangerous act that destroys young people’s dreams and must not be tolerated in schools at any level across the country.
Ministers of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad; Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; and Humanitarian Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, made the declaration in Abuja on Thursday during the National Stakeholders’ Summit on Bullying Prevention and Support.
The summit, themed “Unite against bullying: a multi-stakeholder approach to Legislative and Social Change”, was organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Hon. Sunday Asefon, in collaboration with the United Women Voice International Foundation.
Prof. Ahmad said the Federal Ministry of Education had gone beyond making policy pronouncements to setting up a taskforce to ensure the enforcement of the anti-bullying policy launched in May 2025.
“Bullying in whatever form is unacceptable. It requires a combined effort involving policy, awareness campaigns, training, and mental health support,” she said.
Also speaking, Minister Olawande reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to protecting Nigerian youths. He called on all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, religious leaders, and the media, to support efforts to end bullying in schools.
He urged the National Assembly to enact legislation that would back the fight against bullying and strengthen enforcement mechanisms.
On his part, Minister Sununu expressed concern over the prevalence of bullying in Nigerian schools, citing reports indicating that between 21 to 82 per cent of students experience some form of bullying.
He said physical bullying, such as hitting, kicking, pushing, or destroying property, was the most common, with a prevalence of about 62 per cent.
Earlier, the organiser of the summit, Hon. Asefon said bullying had become a national crisis that affects students’ mental health, academic performance and overall safety.
“It is no longer just a school problem. Bullying in all forms, whether physical, verbal, psychological or online, requires a united, multi-sectoral response,” he said.
He said the summit brought together educators, government officials, students, advocacy groups and child protection experts to develop solutions.
Hundreds of students from secondary and tertiary institutions across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) participated in the event.
