The Senate has superior a invoice searching for to decriminalise tried suicide in Nigeria and set up a authorized framework for suicide prevention, psychological well being remedy and the rehabilitation of survivors.
The Suicide Prevention Bill 2026, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, scaled second studying throughout Tuesday’s plenary in Abuja following a debate on whether or not individuals who survive suicide makes an attempt ought to face prosecution or obtain medical and psychological assist.
Leading the controversy, Ekpenyong mentioned the proposed laws sought to resolve the contradiction between current felony legal guidelines, which punish tried suicide, and the National Mental Health Act, which recognises it as a psychiatric emergency requiring quick intervention.
He challenged his colleagues to rethink the nation’s strategy to individuals who try suicide, arguing that felony prosecution might discourage susceptible people from searching for assist.
“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 requested.
Ekpenyong mentioned Sections 327 of the Criminal Code and 231 of the Penal Code criminalise tried suicide, regardless of rising recognition of the position of psychological well being situations in suicidal behaviour.
According to him, sustaining felony penalties might discourage individuals experiencing suicidal ideas from searching for assist, encourage households to hide suicide makes an attempt and delay entry to medical intervention.
“By supporting its second reading, this Senate will affirm that suicide prevention is a national public health responsibility, and that a person in acute distress should be helped to recover rather than punished for surviving,” he mentioned.
The senator warned that the concern of prosecution might have harmful penalties, arguing that individuals who try suicide would possibly change into reluctant to hunt assist in the event that they feared imprisonment after surviving.
He maintained that eradicating felony penalties wouldn’t quantity to endorsing suicide or excusing those that encourage or help others to take their lives.
“Decriminalising an attempt does not legalise or encourage suicide. Neither does it excuse anyone who procures, encourages, or assists any other person to take his or her life,” Ekpenyong mentioned.
The sponsor mentioned the proposed laws went past decriminalisation by establishing a framework for prevention, early intervention, remedy and long-term assist for individuals liable to suicide.
He defined that the invoice would offer for disaster helplines, clear referral pathways, follow-up take care of survivors, public training and coaching for healthcare employees, regulation enforcement officers, lecturers and emergency responders.
It additionally seeks to strengthen knowledge assortment, analysis and surveillance to assist authorities perceive the size of the issue, establish susceptible teams and develop efficient prevention methods.
Ekpenyong mentioned individuals who survive suicide makes an attempt ought to obtain acceptable medical evaluation, remedy and persevering with assist relatively than be taken to police stations or correctional amenities because the default response.
He urged lawmakers to assist the laws, stressing that suicide prevention required coordinated motion throughout the well being, training, justice and social welfare sectors.
Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, seconded the movement for the invoice’s second studying however questioned how laws might successfully forestall individuals from taking their very own lives.
He requested the sponsor to supply additional clarification on the invoice’s targets and the sensible measures it proposed to forestall suicide.
Nwoko’s intervention prompted additional dialogue amongst lawmakers on the connection between psychological well being, felony accountability and the state’s obligation to guard human life.
Other senators supported the invoice, arguing that suicidal behaviour might be related to despair and different psychological well being challenges requiring skilled intervention.
Speaking in assist Adedayo Adeyeye (Ekiti South) who backed the proposal mentioned individuals who survived suicide makes an attempt wanted remedy relatively than detention.
He argued that sending such people to police stations or prisons wouldn’t deal with the underlying situations that led to their actions.
He referred to as on the Senate to assist the removing of felony penalties to allow survivors to hunt medical care with out concern of prosecution.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele raised considerations concerning the authorized implications of amending the present felony justice framework, significantly the appliance of federal laws throughout the states.
He famous that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act required adoption by state Houses of Assembly for utility inside their respective jurisdictions, elevating questions concerning the nationwide attain of proposed amendments.
Bamidele urged lawmakers to think about the authorized implications fastidiously to make sure that any reform achieved its meant objective.
Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, recommended Ekpenyong for bringing the problem earlier than the Senate, describing it as an necessary topic that deserved wider public {and professional} debate.
Ningi mentioned the invoice’s second studying would enable medical professionals, authorized consultants and different stakeholders to contribute to discussions on suicide prevention and the remedy of survivors.
He argued that individuals who try suicide mustn’t robotically be considered criminals with out consideration of the circumstances surrounding their actions.
According to him, the proposed laws would offer a chance to look at the connection between psychological well being and felony regulation earlier than the Senate reaches a remaining choice.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio additionally weighed in on the controversy, highlighting the necessity to contemplate the connection between federal laws, state legal guidelines and the constitutional framework governing felony justice.
Following the controversy, the Senate handed the invoice for second studying and referred it to the related committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, in addition to Health, for additional legislative consideration.
The committees are anticipated to look at the proposed decriminalisation of tried suicide, the rehabilitation framework and the authorized modifications required to strengthen suicide prevention in Nigeria.
The invoice will bear additional scrutiny, together with consideration of its authorized and institutional implications, earlier than continuing to subsequent legislative levels.
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