Human rights lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi has criticized Senate President Godswill Akpabio for insisting that people who survive suicide attempts should be jailed.
In a statement on his Facebook page on, Olajengbesi said punishing survivors of suicide attempts is counterproductive and could stop such people from getting the help they need for their mental health.
“Our leaders need to show more empathy. Suggesting that anyone attempting suicide should ensure they die is deeply disturbing,” he said.
He pointed out that the Suicide Act 1961 decriminalized suicide in England and Wales and ended the prosecution of people who survived attempts. Nigeria, he said, should likewise put care and recovery ahead of punishment.
“A person who survives a suicide attempt needs urgent help. Sending that person to prison risks compounding the distress that brought them to that point,” he said.
Olajengbesi described Akpabio’s reported remarks on the Senate floor as insensitive to Nigerians in psychological crisis. “Whatever the intention, such language is unacceptable from someone occupying that office,” he said.
He urged leaders to be compassionate and to address the root causes of distress, including economic hardship, trauma, isolation and mental health challenges.
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The lawyer also backed Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who sponsored the bill, saying Nigerians in psychological crisis deserve care, protection and a credible path to recovery.
He said replacing criminal punishment for attempted suicide with medical assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and accessible support is a step in the right direction. “Leadership should give people a reason to live and the support to recover,” he said.
On Tuesday, Akpabio opposed moves to decriminalize attempted suicide, insisting that survivors should be jailed, as the Senate passed for second reading a bill to replace criminal punishment with medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Presenting the bill, Ekpenyong argued that Nigeria’s legal framework is inconsistent. He said the National Mental Health Act treats attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency that needs intervention, while the Criminal Code and Penal Code still criminalize it.
Under the proposed framework, survivors would receive 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 better coordination among relevant institutions.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Health for further legislative action, including a public hearing.
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