Paul Ibe, media aide to presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised Senate President Godswill Akpabio over his comment linking suicide to the belief that seven virgins await people in the afterlife.
Ibe described the remark as insensitive, offensive and inappropriate for the occupant of the Office of Senate President, demanding an apology from Akpabio.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Ibe said suicide should not be treated as a joke, stressing that people who attempt to take their lives need compassion and professional help rather than punishment.
He faulted Akpabio’s reported suggestion that some young Nigerians contemplate suicide because of their beliefs about the afterlife, describing it as a religious stereotype that trivialised mental health challenges.
“What exactly were you trying to achieve by introducing such a crude religious stereotype into a serious debate about mental health? Were you trying to entertain your colleagues or trivialise the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians?” Ibe asked.
The former vice president’s aide also condemned the criminalisation of attempted suicide, arguing that people who survive suicide attempts should receive medical and psychological support rather than face imprisonment.
According to him, economic hardship, unemployment, poverty and hopelessness have worsened the difficulties faced by many Nigerians, making access to mental healthcare and social protection increasingly important.
“At a time when millions of Nigerians are battling crushing economic hardship, unemployment, poverty and hopelessness, the last thing they need is a Senate President threatening imprisonment for those who attempt suicide and survive,” he said.
Ibe further accused the Senate President of prioritising punishment over the need to improve mental health services, including psychiatric facilities and counselling.
“You cannot govern people into hopelessness and then threaten to imprison them for manifesting that hopelessness,” he added.
He called on Akpabio to apologise to Nigerians, particularly people experiencing mental health challenges and those whose religious beliefs may have been demeaned by the comment.
Ibe also urged the National Assembly to decriminalise attempted suicide and strengthen access to mental healthcare across the country.
He maintained that the response to a suicide attempt should focus on understanding the circumstances that led to the person’s distress and providing the necessary support for recovery.
“Mr Akpabio, when a Nigerian attempts suicide and survives, the question should not be how many years that person deserves in prison. It should be what drove that person to despair and how society can help them recover.
“A cry for help must never become an invitation to punishment,” he said.