The Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking to establish a national framework for suicide prevention, decriminalise attempted suicide and provide rehabilitation for survivors, despite opposition from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who insisted that attempted suicide should still attract a jail term.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), seeks to address what he described as a contradiction in Nigeria’s laws.
Ekpenyong argued that while the National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring treatment, Section 327 of the Criminal Code and Section 231 of the Penal Code still criminalise the act.
He said decriminalisation without accessible care would be incomplete, noting that suicide has complex causes and requires a humane, health-focused response.
According to him, criminalisation discourages people from seeking help, encourages families to conceal suicide attempts and contributes to poor data on the issue.
He warned that continued punishment could create a situation in which people experiencing distress feel compelled to ensure their attempts are fatal to avoid prosecution.
The bill proposes replacing imprisonment with mandatory assessment, referral, treatment and follow-up support. It also provides for crisis helplines, training for police officers, teachers and health workers, public enlightenment and a national data system for suicide prevention.
However, Akpabio maintained that attempted suicide should remain a criminal offence, arguing that removing the penalty could encourage the act.
He added that the matter involved both the Criminal Code and the Penal Code and would require input from state Houses of Assembly during a public hearing to avoid legal conflicts.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Health for further legislative consideration and a public hearing.
“If you attempt suicide, make sure you die. Anyone who attempts and fails will go to jail,” Akpabio said.
