Group presents draft bill to decriminalise suicide in Nigeria

A civil society organisation, Nigerian Mental Health (NMH), has presented a draft suicide prevention bill aimed at decriminalising suicide attempts in Nigeria.

The bill was developed by members of the Bill Drafting Committee of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, a coalition of experts, mental health professionals, and advocates.

It was officially presented to the Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Public Prosecution, Abubakar Babadoku, at the Immersive Mind Conference, held in commemoration of the World Mental Health Day.

World Mental Health Day is observed annually on 10 October to raise awareness about mental health issues and mobilise support for mental health globally.

Need for suicide bill

According to NMH, the draft bill is a “historic legislative proposal” that aims to remove criminal penalties associated with attempted suicide in Nigeria and improve services for those contemplating ending their life.

“Currently, those who survive suicide attempts can face legal consequences, including up to a year in prison, further marginalising vulnerable individuals who need care, not punishment,” the group noted in a statement issued on 25 November.

According to Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act, any person who attempts to kill themselves is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for one year.

However, in October, the federal government inaugurated a National Task Force on decriminalisation of attempted suicide at an event to commemorate the 2024 World Mental Health Day in Abuja.

The task force will be chaired by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, a professor of law and executive director, Centre for Health Ethics Law and Development (CHELD).

Key provisions

Apart from decriminalising suicide attempts, the bill aims to improve mental health and psychological support services and promote awareness and education on suicide prevention.

The nine-page draft bill obtained by PREMIUM TIMES proposes the establishment of national and state suicide prevention centres, as well as national and state suicide surveillance systems.

The surveillance systems will facilitate data collection and analysis, which will inform research on suicide prevention.

The bill also addresses offences and indemnification in the fifth and last section. The section outlines the penalties for individuals who violate the provisions of the bill, while also providing indemnification for individuals who provide support and care to persons who have attempted suicide.

Immersive conference

The Immersive Mind Conference, according to NMH, was part of the National Suicide Prevention Conference in collaboration with Lifeline International, ASIDO Foundation, Decriminalise Suicide Worldwide and other development partners.

Speaking at the conference, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health emphasised the importance of Nigeria’s National Mental Health Act, describing it as a crucial milestone in shaping mental health policy.

The Director of Public Health, Chukwuma Anyaike, representing the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate highlighted the health and social implications of suicide prevention.

Mr Anyaike emphasised the Nigerian government’s role in strengthening mental health services and supporting support for the decriminalisation of suicide attempts.

LifeLine International, one of the partners, announced the appointment of Toyin Saraki, wife of Nigeria’s former 13th Senate President and founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, as its honorary patron.

Mental health crisis

In 2022, the President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), Taiwo Obindo, revealed that more than 60 million Nigerians are suffering from mental illnesses.

In his remarks, Founder of Nigerian Mental Health, Chime Asonye, emphasised the urgency of adopting innovative approaches to tackle Nigeria’s escalating mental health crisis.

“We can no longer afford to treat mental health as an afterthought,” Mr Asonye said. “It’s time to destigmatise this field utilising emerging technology; this conference is a critical milestone in building a new Nigeria where mental well-being is prioritised.”

Also, the convener of the Immersive Mind conference, Taiwo Lateef, a professor saisd it is essential to focus on suicide prevention.

“Everybody is a stakeholder when it comes to suicide prevention because there is no vaccine against suicide, and so we are all prone to it; nobody is immune to suicide,” Mr Lateef said.