Taiwo Popoola
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South Senatorial District, has reiterated his unwavering support for the Suicide Prevention Bill presently under deliberation in the National Assembly.
The bill, which scaled its first reading in February, aims to remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide and create a structured system for suicide prevention and mental health care across Nigeria.
His renewed pledge was contained in a statement on Sunday, issued by Taiwo Sheikh, convener of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Group and Continental Representative for LifeLine International.
The lawmaker gave this assurance while hosting members of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group in Abuja.
The delegation comprising psychiatrists, legal practitioners, mental health experts, civil society actors, and advocates visited him to commend his sponsorship of the legislation and to update him on activities planned ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) notes that about 727,000 people worldwide die by suicide each year, with the act ranking as the third leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 29.
During the courtesy call, Prof. Sheikh, who is also a former President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, highlighted that criminalising attempted suicide discourages victims from seeking help.
“When you criminalise attempted suicide, you stigmatise people who are already vulnerable. According to the 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 the ages of 15 and 29.
This is a crisis that must be urgently addressed,” Sheikh stated.
He added that the legislation, once passed, would not only repeal punitive laws but also provide for essential structures such as funding, training, helplines, data collection, and better service delivery nationwide.
In his response, Senator Ekpenyong lauded the coalition’s efforts and acknowledged that mental health struggles remain largely underreported and misunderstood in Nigeria.
“Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions affect millions of Nigerians, yet they are poorly understood and rarely prioritised. Suicide prevention is an issue that requires government attention, sustained education, and sensitisation,” he said.
He further promised to actively push the bill forward during its second reading, assuring that he would lobby his fellow lawmakers to ensure the debate is grounded in strong statistics and evidence-based arguments.
Other members of the coalition, ranging from psychiatrists to psychologists, lawyers, and activists, stressed the urgency of legislative support to strengthen suicide prevention policies, especially considering Nigeria’s alarming youth suicide rate and the mounting socio-economic burden of untreated mental health issues.
“For every recorded suicide, there are at least 20 more attempts. In Nigeria, every delay in passing this bill means more lives lost,” the Executive Director of the Sunshine Series,” Aisha Bubah, said.
