By Samuel Abasiekong-Abasiekong
A bill to ensure that those apprehended for attempted suicide were treated, supported, and cartered for instead stigmatizing them is on its way to second reading in the Nigerian Senate.
The bill which is known as the Suicide Prevention Bill, is being pushed by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South Senatorial District seeks to be a historic shift in Nigerias mental health and public health landscape if passed into law.
Senator Ekpenyong has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the Suicide Prevention Bill, which passed its first reading in February with intent and purpose to decriminalize attempted suicide and establish a comprehensive framework for suicide prevention and mental health support in Nigeria.
Ekpenyong made this known when he received members of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, a coalition of psychiatrists, mental health practitioners, legal experts, civil society organizations, and advocates, who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja to appreciate his sponsorship of the bill and to brief him on upcoming activities ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th.
Speaking during the visit, Prof Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, convener of coalition, Continental Representative for Life Line International and former President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, said the law criminalizing attempted suicide has become a major barrier to help-seeking in the country.
When you criminalize attempted suicide, you stigmatize people who are already vulnerable. According to WHO, Nigeria records about 16,000 suicide deaths annually, and that is a conservative figure because many cases go unreported.
Most of the victims are young people, between ages 15 and 29. This is a crisis that must be urgently addressed, Professor Sheikh stated.
He explained that the proposed bill not only seeks to expunge punitive laws against attempted suicide but also provides for service delivery, funding, training, helplines, and data systems to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms nationwide.
Responding, Senator Ekpenyong commended the coalition for their advocacy and acknowledged the underreported nature of mental health issues in Nigeria.
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions affect millions of Nigerians, yet they are poorly understood and rarely prioritized. Suicide prevention is an issue that requires government attention, sustained education, and sensitization he said.
The senator assured the group that he would champion the bill when it comes up for second reading, pledging to work with his colleagues to ensure robust debate backed by strong data and evidence.
Other coalition members, including psychiatrists, psychologists, lawyers, and mental health advocates, emphasized the urgent need for legislative backing to implement suicide prevention policies, citing Nigerias high youth suicide rate and the growing economic and social costs of untreated mental health challenges.
For every recorded suicide, there are at least 20 more attempts. In Nigeria, every delay in passing this bill means more lives lost, Aisha Abdullahi Bubah Executive Director of The Sunshine Series stressed that Nigeria must act decisively.
The advocacy group announced plans to mark World Suicide Prevention Day with public sensitization campaigns, media engagements, and policy dialogues.
They also extended an invitation to Senator Ekpenyong to participate in the Vanguard Mental Health Summit in October, themed Stemming the Rising Tide of Suicide in Nigeria.
If passed, the Suicide Prevention Bill will mark a historic shift in Nigerias mental health and public health landscape, ensuring that those at risk are treated with dignity, care, and support rather than stigma and punishment.
