FG moves to decriminalise suicide attempts

…To be headed by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe

The federal government has initiated the process to decriminalising suicide attempts, aiming for the reform to take effect by 2025.

The government, on Thursday, inaugurated a National Task Force on Decriminalization 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).

Currently, Nigeria’s law makes it a crime to attempt suicide, as contained in Section 327 of the Criminal Code and Section 231 of the Penal Code.

Read also: Mental health experts urge action against rising suicide rate in Nigeria

Mohammad Pate, cordinating minister of health and social welfare, represented by Daju Kachallom, permanent secretary of the ministry, inaugurated the task force. Its terms of reference include carrying out constructive and strategic engagements with stakeholders towards ensuring a timely and seamless decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria, launching public awareness campaigns about the need for decriminalisation, mobilising resources, and developing a comprehensive government-wide position paper on the issue.

The minister set a target for the task force to complete this process by the end of 2025. Pate noted that suicide, which is one of the gravest consequences of untreated mental health conditions, is rising in Nigeria.

The minister said Nigeria is now facing a lot of challenges that have forced more citizens into depression such as economic hardship, societal and environmental degradation among others.

Speaking with BusinessDay,  Onyemelukwe, chairman of the task force, said criminalising suicide has not been effective in deterring people from attempting suicide, and argued that Nigerian laws should prioritise suicide prevention instead of punishment.

“Attempted suicide is a cry for help, attempted suicide says ‘I am in pain and I am overwhelmed.’ The law should create a supportive environment for help-seeking, not one that penalises, criminalises and punishes a person for their own wellness,” she said.

“Nobody wants their family members and loved ones to be criminalised when all they are looking for is support,” she added.

Read also: Financial challenge, depression, others raise suicide rate among students

Onyemelukwe also noted the challenges in implementing the National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework launched last year due to existing laws.The chairpeeson said the primary objective of the task force would be to work with the legislature to repeal criminalisation laws across the country. She said the task force under her leadership will  galvanise efforts to ensure that decriminalisation of suicide happens as soon as possible.

According to her, decriminalising attempted suicide will enable government to focus on suicide prevention strategies. Some of the potential strategies she mentioned include: establishing helplines for individuals facing mental health challenges and implementing educational programmes in schools on how to seek help.

She stressed that mental health, which has been a neglected issue in Nigeria’s healthcare system, deserves more attention because it affects everybody. Onyemelukwe expressed gratitude to the coordinating minister of health for her appointment, while highlighting her organization’s longstanding advocacy efforts for the decriminalization of attempted suicide.