The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday advanced a bill that seeks to remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide and put greater emphasis on prevention, treatment and support for people in psychological distress.
Sponsored by Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), the bill passed second reading during plenary and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health and the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further work.
Ekpenyong told colleagues that Nigeria’s current legal framework sends mixed signals. The National Mental Health Act treats attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate care, while Section 327 of the Criminal Code and Section 231 of the Penal Code still expose survivors to criminal punishment. He framed the core question as whether the state’s first response to a survivor should be prosecution or protection.
The senator argued that criminalisation can deter people from seeking help and lead families to hide attempts out of fear of stigma or legal consequences. That silence, he said, delays intervention and weakens national efforts to collect reliable data and design effective prevention programmes.
Decriminalisation, he stressed, would neither legalise nor encourage suicide. Instead, it would prioritise protecting survivors and ensuring timely medical attention.
The proposed law aims to create a coordinated system of prevention services. These include crisis helplines, clear referral pathways and follow-up support for those who survive attempts. It also calls for public education and training for healthcare workers, law-enforcement officers, teachers and emergency responders so they can recognise warning signs and direct people to appropriate care. Families affected by suicide or attempts would gain access to psychosocial support, while improved data collection and research would guide government policy. An institutional and funding framework is intended to make these services sustainable.
Other senators who spoke in support described attempted suicide as primarily a mental health issue that requires professional care rather than detention or imprisonment. They said coordinated action involving health professionals, schools, families, security agencies and government institutions is essential for effective prevention.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the bill to a voice vote. It passed second reading and was referred to the relevant committees, where lawmakers are expected to harmonise its provisions with the Criminal Code, Penal Code, National Mental Health Act and applicable state laws. The committee stage will also provide opportunity for public consultation and input from professionals before further legislative action.
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