Health
Declare national emergency on child abuse, psychiatrists beg FG
Mental health experts have called on the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on child abuse, warning that the rising incidence of physical, sexual, and emotional violence against children poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s prosperity.
They explained that declaring a national emergency would accelerate coordinated efforts to prevent rising cases of child abuse and protect children across the country.
The psychiatrists stressed that children exposed to abuse may suffer lasting consequences, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, behavioural problems, and impaired cognitive and emotional development.
The experts made the call in an exclusive interview with PUNCH Healthwise while reacting to the data from the United Nations Children’s Fund Nigeria’s Child Protection Mid-Year Review, which revealed that six in 10 Nigerian children experience abuse.
UNICEF Chief of Child Protection, Natalie McCauley, said the figure represents children whose safety is at risk.
“Official national reporting shows that six in 10 children experience some form of abuse; only two in five children under five have their births registered, with a wide urban-rural gap; and two in five young women were married before the age of 18.
“These figures are not merely statistics. They represent children whose safety, identity, education, health, and future opportunities are at risk,” she said.
According to UNICEF, violence against children takes many forms.
“It can be physical, emotional, or sexual. It happens in every country and any setting – in a child’s home, school, or online. And for many girls and boys, violence comes at the hands of the people they trust most,” the body added.
In a recent report, PUNCH Healthwise also detailed cases of child abuse, where stakeholders called for urgent action to protect children from severe harm, exploitation, and neglect.
But speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Dr. Tinuola Gunwa-Ajayi, said if children continue to grow in an abusive environment, the country would weaken future social cohesion.
“When six out of every ten children experience abuse, this is no longer an individual family problem—it becomes a national emergency. Every abused child represents not only a personal tragedy but also a potential loss of human capital.
“The children we fail to protect today become the adults who will shape Nigeria tomorrow. If we want a healthier, safer, and more prosperous nation, protecting children must be treated as an investment in Nigeria’s future, not merely a welfare issue,” she said.
According to her, child protection is an investment in national security and economic development.
Gunwa-Ajayi, who is also a Professor of Psychiatry, said child abuse could have a lasting effect on children.
She explained that abuse can impair concentration, learning, school performance, and emotional regulation, limiting a child’s ability to reach their full potential.
“Childhood abuse—whether physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect—can have profound and lasting effects on a child’s developing brain, emotional wellbeing, and ability to form healthy relationships.
“Children who experience abuse are at greater risk of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, behavioural difficulties, substance misuse, and even suicide later in life,” the psychiatrist said.
She, however, said that with early intervention, many abused children can recover.
“With early identification, access to trauma-informed mental health support, safe and nurturing relationships, and strong child protection systems, many children can recover and thrive.
“This statistic should serve as a call to action for parents, schools, healthcare professionals, communities, and government agencies to strengthen child protection, promote positive parenting, and ensure that every child has access to a safe environment where they can grow, learn, and flourish,” Gunwa-Ajayi said.
Without immediate intervention, she said the country risks producing a generation carrying unresolved psychological trauma.
“Children often learn relationships from their earliest experiences. Without intervention, those exposed to violence are at greater risk of either perpetrating violence or becoming victims again in adulthood. This perpetuates domestic violence, child abuse, and community violence across generations.
“A society with large numbers of traumatised young people may experience higher rates of aggression, criminality, substance misuse, and antisocial behaviour.
“While abuse does not inevitably lead to crime, untreated childhood trauma is an important risk factor for violence and social dysfunction, particularly when combined with poverty and limited opportunities,” she said.
On his part, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr. Sunday Amosu, advocated early help and sustained care for abused children.
These, he said, are critical to breaking the cycle of trauma.
According to him, unresolved traumatic experiences from early life can manifest in adulthood as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and harmful behavioural patterns.
If left unaddressed, they said childhood trauma often affects productivity and overall quality of life.
“In everyday life, childhood trauma can manifest in behaviour, but it is often missed because people do not dig deep enough,” he said.
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