Suicide bill: Atiku’s media adviser asks Akpabio to apologise

Mr Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to comments made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a debate on the Suicide Prevention Bill 2026.

In a post on Wednesday, Ibe said suicide should be treated as a public health and mental health issue rather than a crime.

He said remarks attributed to the Senate President during the debate, including a reference to religious beliefs, were inappropriate for a discussion on mental health.

Ibe said the Senate should focus on issues such as economic hardship and access to mental health services.

He said millions of Nigerians were facing economic pressures and that people contemplating suicide needed compassion, professional help and social support.

He added that threatening survivors of suicide attempts with imprisonment could discourage people from seeking help.

Ibe called on the Senate President to apologise to Nigerians, particularly those dealing with mental health challenges. He also urged the Senate to proceed with the bill to decriminalise attempted suicide while strengthening access to mental healthcare.

He said that when a person attempted suicide and survived, the focus should be on understanding the factors that led to the situation and providing help to support recovery.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio opposed the Suicide Prevention Bill 2026 during plenary on Tuesday, 13 October.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who represents Cross River South, seeks to decriminalise attempted suicide in Nigeria and replace criminal punishment with medical assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and support services.

Presenting the bill, Ekpenyong said Nigeria’s laws were contradictory. The National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring intervention, while Section 327 of the Criminal Code and Section 231 of the Penal Code still criminalise it.

During the debate, Akpabio said attempted suicide should remain a crime and that survivors should face imprisonment.

“As far as we are concerned, we are saying that suicide is a crime for now. Therefore, if you attempt it, you better succeed. If you don’t succeed, we will send you to prison,” he said.

He repeated: “If you attempt it and don’t succeed, we will jail you. So, if you attempt it, you better succeed.”

Despite his opposition, the Senate passed the bill for second reading and referred it to the relevant committees for further consideration, including a public hearing.

His remarks have drawn criticism on social media and in press coverage, with many describing the comments as insensitive to mental health issues.