Nigeria's laws criminalizing attempted suicide are coming under scrutiny from legal, health, and policy experts. They argue that punishment could discourage people in crisis from seeking medical and psychosocial help. This concern was raised at a high-level webinar organized by the National Task Force on the Decriminalization of Attempted Suicide in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The webinar, titled "The Big Three for One: Roles of Government Arms in Advancing Suicide Prevention," brought together experts, including Justice Muhammad Lawal Shuaibu of the Court of Appeal and representatives of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies. The Chairman of the National Task Force, Prof Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, said the development represents an important stage in Nigeria's attempt to reform its legal response to suicide.
The task force wants Nigeria to move towards a system where people who survive suicide attempts are directed towards healthcare, counseling, and other forms of support instead of being subjected to criminal sanctions. Justice Shuaibu explained that attempted suicide remains an offense under Nigeria's criminal laws until the legislature changes the relevant provisions. He cited previous cases where people who attempted suicide received custodial sentences.
Shuaibu rejected the suggestion that the judiciary could simply stop prosecuting attempted-suicide cases, explaining that prosecution is the responsibility of the relevant authorities. He called for greater mental-health training for judges, prosecutors, police officers, and other personnel in the criminal justice system. Without such training, he warned that people experiencing mental-health challenges could be pushed deeper into a criminal process.
Egwatu Onyejelem, representing the Director-General of NILDS, said that suicide should primarily be approached as a mental-health and public-health challenge rather than an offense requiring punishment. He welcomed the Federal Executive Council's decision to transmit the proposed amendment to the National Assembly but said decriminalization would need to be accompanied by practical interventions.
Onyejelem argued that criminalization could undermine the quality of suicide data because people and families may be reluctant to report incidents or seek help if they fear legal consequences. The webinar also highlighted a potential conflict between Nigeria's mental-health framework and its criminal laws. Onyemelukwe said the National Mental Health Act provides a framework for protecting people at risk of harming themselves.
The National Task Force's efforts to reform Nigeria's laws on attempted suicide aim to prioritize mental health and public health over punishment. Experts emphasize that changing the law is just the beginning of a wider suicide-prevention effort. The proposed reforms seek to provide support and care for those who attempt suicide, rather than punishment, to encourage individuals to seek help in times of crisis.
Key points
- Experts warn that Nigeria's continued criminalization of attempted suicide discourages people in crisis from seeking medical and psychosocial help.
- The National Task Force on the Decriminalization of Attempted Suicide aims to reform Nigeria's laws to prioritize mental health and public health over punishment.
- Proposed reforms include providing support and care for those who attempt suicide, rather than punishment, to encourage individuals to seek help in times of crisis.
