Senate President Godswill Akpabio has opposed moves to decriminalise attempted suicide, insisting that survivors should face imprisonment as the Senate passed a bill seeking to replace criminal punishment with medical treatment and rehabilitation for second reading.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, seeks to treat attempted suicide as a mental health emergency rather than a criminal offence.

It proposes medical assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up support for survivors, alongside the establishment of crisis helplines, training for police officers, teachers and health workers, public awareness campaigns and a national data system to strengthen suicide prevention.

However, Akpabio rejected the proposed reform during Tuesday’s plenary, maintaining that attempted suicide should remain a criminal offence under the existing legal framework.

“As far as we are concerned, we are saying that suicide is a crime for now. Therefore, if you attempt it, you better succeed. If you don’t succeed, we will send you to prison,” the Senate President said.

He subsequently turned to Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, and noted that the Senate had yet to conduct a public hearing on the proposed legislation.

“Senator Ningi, we are not yet at the public hearing. But you can see what is going on. He (Ekpenyong) is saying anybody who attempts it and does not die, we should rehabilitate the person,” Akpabio said.

Ekpenyong, however, urged his colleagues to consider the stigma associated with suicide attempts and the need to provide survivors with appropriate medical and psychological support.

“Mr President, it is beyond that. I am only addressing the stigma associated with it. For now, we believe this 10th Senate can change and decriminalise it. It is a mental health issue,” he said.

Akpabio reiterated his opposition, saying, “If you attempt it and don’t succeed, we will jail you.”

He also argued that the proposed reform required careful consideration because attempted suicide was covered by both the Criminal Code and the Penal Code. According to him, state legislatures would need to be involved in the public hearing to avoid conflicts in the law.

Presenting the bill, Ekpenyong said Nigeria’s existing legal framework was inconsistent because the National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring intervention, while provisions of the Criminal Code and Penal Code continue to prescribe criminal punishment.

“Our law presently speaks with two voices. The National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate intervention. Yet section 327 of the Criminal Code and section 231 of the Penal Code continue to expose the same person to criminal punishment,” he said.

The lawmaker warned that criminalisation could discourage people experiencing suicidal thoughts from seeking help or disclosing their struggles.

“Criminalisation can discourage people from disclosing suicidal thoughts or seeking help. It may cause families to conceal attempts, health workers to avoid complete reporting, and communities to treat a medical emergency as a source of shame,” Ekpenyong said.

He urged the Senate to support the bill and establish a national approach that prioritises care and recovery for people experiencing psychological distress.

“I therefore urge this Senate to support the Second Reading of this Bill and affirm a clear national principle: Nigerians in psychological crisis should be met with care, protection and a credible path to recovery,” he added.

Ekpenyong stressed that decriminalisation alone would not address the problem without accessible mental health services, noting that suicide often arises from complex circumstances requiring a compassionate, health-focused response.

“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 asked.

Under the proposed framework, survivors would receive appropriate medical assessment, referral, treatment and follow-up support instead of imprisonment. The bill also seeks to strengthen early intervention through public education, crisis response services and improved coordination among relevant institutions.

The Senate’s decision to pass the bill for second reading means the proposed legislation will proceed to further consideration. It does not constitute final approval or automatically change the existing law.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Health for further legislative action, including a public hearing.