The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday opposed moves to decriminalise attempted suicide, insisting that survivors should be jailed, as the Senate passed for second reading a bill seeking to replace criminal punishment with medical treatment and rehabilitation.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, seeks to replace criminal punishment for attempted suicide with medical assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and other support measures for survivors.
The proposed legislation also seeks to establish crisis helplines, provide training for police officers, teachers and health workers, promote public awareness and create a national data system to strengthen suicide prevention efforts.
However, Akpabio opposed the proposed decriminalisation, arguing that attempted suicide should remain a criminal offence, a position that contrasted with the bill’s emphasis on treating suicide attempts as a mental health emergency rather than a crime.
During debate on the bill, the Senate President said, “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.”
Akpabio subsequently turned towards Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, and remarked that the Senate was yet to hold a public hearing on the proposed legislation.
“Senator Ningi, we are not yet at the public hearing. But you can see what is going on. He (Ekpenyong) is saying anybody who attempts it and does not die, we should rehabilitate the person.”
But Ekpenyong urged his colleagues to consider the stigma associated with suicide attempts and the need to provide survivors with medical and psychological support.
He said, “Mr President, it is beyond that. I am only addressing the stigma associated with it. For now, we believe this 10th Senate can change and decriminalise it. It is a mental health issue.”
Akpabio, however, maintained his position, saying, “If you attempt it and don’t succeed, we will jail you.”
He added that the proposed reform required careful consideration because attempted suicide was covered by both the Criminal Code and the Penal Code. He said the involvement of state legislatures would be necessary during the public hearing to prevent conflicts in the law.
Presenting the bill, Ekpenyong argued that Nigeria’s existing legal framework was inconsistent because the National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring intervention, while provisions of the Criminal Code and Penal Code continue to criminalise the act.
He said, “Our law presently speaks with two voices. The National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate intervention. Yet section 327 of the Criminal Code and section 231 of the Penal Code continue to expose the same person to criminal punishment.
“Criminalisation can discourage people from disclosing suicidal thoughts or seeking help. It may cause families to conceal attempts, health workers to avoid complete reporting, and communities to treat a medical emergency as a source of shame.
“I therefore urge this Senate to support the Second Reading of this Bill and affirm a clear national principle: Nigerians in psychological crisis should be met with care, protection and a credible path to recovery.”
The senator said decriminalisation alone would not be sufficient without accessible mental health services, stressing that suicide often results from complex circumstances that require a compassionate, health-focused response.
“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?” he asked.
Under the proposed framework, survivors would be subjected to appropriate medical assessment, referral, treatment and follow-up support rather than imprisonment. The bill also seeks to strengthen early intervention through public education, crisis response services and improved coordination among relevant institutions.
The passage of the bill for second reading means the Senate has agreed to proceed with further consideration of its proposals, but does not amount to final approval or a change in the existing law.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Health for further legislative action, including a public hearing.