Senate President Godswill Akpabio has opposed moves to decriminalise attempted suicide in Nigeria, insisting that people who survive suicide attempts should face imprisonment.
Akpabio made the position known on Tuesday as the Senate considered a bill seeking to remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide and establish support services for survivors.
“If you attempt suicide, make sure you die. Anyone who attempts and fails will go to jail,” he declared.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo, who represents Cross River South, scaled second reading during plenary and was referred to the Senate Committees on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further consideration.
Titled A Bill to Establish a Framework for Suicide Prevention, Decriminalise Attempted Suicide and Provide for the Establishment of Support for Persons Who Attempt Suicide, and for Related Matters, 2026 (SB.730), the proposed legislation seeks to establish a legal framework for suicide prevention and provide assistance for people who survive suicide attempts.
Akpabio also called for state Houses of Assembly to participate in the legislative process, arguing that the proposal required careful consideration because of its implications for the Criminal Code, Penal Code and state laws.
Leading the debate, Asuquo said existing criminal laws that punish attempted suicide conflicted with the National Mental Health Act, which recognises mental health emergencies as requiring medical intervention.
“Our law presently speaks with two voices,” he said, arguing that survivors should receive medical care rather than face criminal prosecution.
He questioned whether the government’s first response to a person who survives a suicide attempt should be punishment or protection.
Asuquo cited Section 327 of the Criminal Code and Section 231 of the Penal Code, which criminalise attempted suicide, and warned that the provisions could discourage distressed individuals from seeking help.
He said criminalisation could also encourage families to conceal suicide attempts, delay reporting to healthcare professionals and deepen the stigma surrounding mental health conditions.
“The police station or correctional facility should not be the default destination for a person who requires urgent clinical care,” the senator said.
Under the proposed legislation, Nigeria would establish coordinated suicide prevention services, crisis response mechanisms, referral pathways and continuing support for survivors.
The bill also proposes public education and training for healthcare workers, teachers, law enforcement officers and emergency responders to help them recognise warning signs and connect people at risk with appropriate services.
Asuquo, however, noted that decriminalisation alone would not resolve the problem without accessible medical and psychological care, adequate institutional arrangements and funding.
Supporting the bill, Senator Dayo Faduyile, representing Ondo South, said attempted suicide should be treated as a medical emergency rather than a criminal offence.
Faduyile, a medical practitioner, argued that people who survive suicide attempts need professional help and support, particularly where depression or other mental health conditions affect their judgement.
He warned that taking survivors to police stations or correctional facilities would not address the underlying circumstances that led to their actions.
Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, also supported further consideration of the proposal, describing it as an important legal and public health issue.
Ningi said the legislative process would provide an opportunity for medical practitioners, psychologists and other stakeholders to contribute to the debate.
He added that suicide attempts required a broader understanding of mental health challenges and the social pressures individuals face.
However, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central, raised concerns about the nationwide application of the proposed changes.
Bamidele noted that the applicability of some provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act varied across states, depending on the legal frameworks adopted by their respective Houses of Assembly.
He said the Senate needed to determine the extent to which the proposed amendments would apply nationally before proceeding.
The bill will now undergo further scrutiny by the relevant Senate committees, which are expected to examine its legal implications and the framework for implementing suicide prevention and support services across Nigeria.
