Legislature
Attempted Suicide: Akpabio Rejects Shift from Jail Term to Medical Care
Nigerian President of the Red chamber, Godswill Akpabio has opposed moves to decriminalise attempted suicide in Nigeria, insisting that anyone who survives a suicide attempt should still face imprisonment.
Akpabio’s position emerged as the Senate advanced a bill seeking to decriminalise attempted suicide and establish a national framework for suicide prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, scaled second reading despite the Senate President’s objection and was referred to the relevant committees for further legislative consideration.
Presenting the bill, Ekpenyong said Nigeria’s existing legal framework contains a contradiction because the National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring medical intervention, while the Criminal Code and Penal Code continue to treat it as a criminal offence.
He said the proposed legislation would replace punishment with a health-centred approach focused on assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term support for survivors.
“At the heart of this bill is a simple question: when a Nigerian survives a suicide attempt, should the first response of the state be prosecution or protection?” Ekpenyong asked.
The senator argued that criminalising attempted suicide discourages vulnerable people from seeking help, pushes families to conceal cases and makes it difficult for authorities to obtain accurate data on suicide attempts.
He also warned that the fear of prosecution could worsen the crisis by making people experiencing severe psychological distress less likely to seek immediate assistance.
Under the proposed framework, survivors would undergo mandatory mental health assessment, referral, treatment and follow-up care rather than imprisonment.
The bill also proposes the establishment of crisis helplines, suicide-prevention education, specialised training for police officers, teachers and healthcare workers, as well as a national data system to improve monitoring and prevention efforts.
However, Akpabio strongly rejected the proposal to remove criminal sanctions, arguing that decriminalisation could have unintended consequences.
“If you attempt suicide, make sure you die. Anyone who attempts and fails will go to jail,” the Senate President said.
Akpabio further pointed out that the issue involves provisions of both the Criminal Code and Penal Code, stressing that State Houses of Assembly would need to be involved in the process to prevent conflicts between federal and state laws.
The bill has now been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Health for detailed consideration and a public hearing before further legislative action.
The debate is expected to intensify as lawmakers weigh the competing arguments for criminal deterrence and a public-health approach to suicide prevention.