Experts make case for decriminalisation of suicide

NIGERIA Suicide Advocacy Group has called for the decriminalisation of suicide to advance suicide prevention and control in Nigeria.

This was made known by Prof. Taiwo Sheikh, a Consultant Psychiatrist, at the maiden virtual meeting of the group in Lagos. Sheikh, also a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University ( ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, said the major barrier to suicide prevention and control was the law that criminalises attempted suicide.

He lamented that Nigeria was among the 21 countries in the world where suicide was still criminalised, as other countries had decriminalised it.

According to him, the law that criminalises suicide in Nigeria came as a res ult of the British colonisation, stressing the need to review and change it.

He explained that the la w, which did not address the social determinants of suicide, serves as a barrier to both help- seeking and data generation.

The don said the Nigerian suicide rate was 6.9 per 100,000 as reported by the World Health Organisation ( WHO), using 2019 figures. Across a country of 218 million people, this reported suicide rate equates to around 15,000 people dying by suicide each year , he added. According to him, this also equates to 300,000 people attempting to end their lives yearly ( allowing for a ratio of 20 people to each death by suicide). Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN), Mohammed Tajudeen Mohammed, said suicide was a criminal offence in both customary and Islamic laws in Nigeria.

Prof Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, a lawyer, said the way to go was to ensure enforcement of the National Health Law.

Onyemelukwe, who emphasised the need to engage the government at the earliest stage in the fight for the decriminalisation of suicide, said national- level engagement was key to its success. According to her, suicide is a health issue for many people, adding that depression can lead to suicide. Consultant psychiatrist, Dr Jibril Abdulmalik, said suicide was avoidable, advising that people should pay attention to everything possibly needed to prevent it.

Abdulmalik, who founded the Asido Foundation, identified the strategic measures needed to prevent suicide to include early identification and intervention, reduction of access to means, public awareness campaigns and responsible media reportage of suicide cases.

“Religious and social support are also crucial in the successful prevention of suicide in the society”, he added.