FG Moves to Scrap Criminal Penalty for Attempted Suicide

The Federal Government has commenced moves to remove the criminal penalty for attempted suicide in Nigeria, following the approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of its position on the decriminalisation of suicide attempts.

The proposed reform represents a major shift in the government’s approach to people who survive suicide attempts, with the focus expected to move from criminal punishment to mental healthcare, psychosocial support, protection and timely intervention.

However, attempted suicide remains a criminal offence under the existing legal framework until the proposed amendments are considered and passed by the National Assembly.

The development was announced in Abuja during an event organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to commemorate the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day, themed “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” with the call to action, “Start the Conversation.”

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said the FEC approval followed the work of the National Task Force on Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide.

The task force has conducted consultations, policy engagements and advocacy involving government institutions, legal experts, mental health professionals, civil society organisations, development partners and people with lived experience of mental health challenges and suicidal behaviour.

Salako described the proposed decriminalisation of attempted suicide as more than a legal reform, saying it was also a public health and human rights imperative.

READ ALSO:

• Obi Explains Why He Won’t Step Down for Atiku in 2027
• ASUU Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Salaries, Unimplemented Agreement
• FG to Give Students 100MB Free Data Daily From October 1

He said people experiencing a mental health crisis should receive care, support and appropriate intervention rather than punishment.

According to the minister, removing the fear of prosecution could encourage people experiencing severe emotional or psychological distress to seek help without worrying that they could be arrested or prosecuted after surviving a suicide attempt.

The minister expressed optimism that the legislative process would be concluded without unnecessary delay once the proposal is transmitted to the National Assembly.

He said the Federal Government was also working to expand access to mental healthcare by integrating mental health services into other parts of the healthcare system, particularly primary healthcare.

As part of the effort, Standard Operating Procedures for integrating mental health services into HIV care are being developed, while the National Coordinator of the National Mental Health Programme has been directed to prepare a memorandum for consideration by the National Council on Health on integrating mental healthcare into primary healthcare.

The government said taking mental health services closer to communities would help people who have limited access to specialist psychiatric facilities and other dedicated mental health services.

The proposed legal reform is expected to affect provisions of Nigeria’s existing criminal laws that make attempted suicide punishable. Under the current framework, attempted suicide is criminalised under provisions including Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 231 of the Penal Code.

The Federal Government has argued that maintaining criminal sanctions for suicide attempts is inconsistent with the more supportive approach contained in the National Mental Health Act 2021, which recognises the need for protection and treatment for people experiencing mental health challenges.

The move to change the law was preceded by extensive consultations by the National Task Force, which was established to examine the legal, medical, social and human rights implications of criminalising attempted suicide.

The task force has also undertaken stakeholder engagements and advocacy involving health professionals, lawmakers, legal practitioners, civil society groups and other relevant organisations as part of efforts to build support for the proposed reform.

However, stakeholders at the Abuja event warned that decriminalising attempted suicide would not by itself solve Nigeria’s suicide crisis.

A representative of the Nigeria Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheik, said criminalisation was only one aspect of the problem and called for a comprehensive national suicide-prevention strategy.

He advocated improved collection and reporting of suicide and suicidal behaviour data, crisis intervention services, dedicated funding for suicide prevention, specialised training for healthcare workers and first responders, and full implementation of the National Mental Health Act 2021.

Sheik said Nigeria had set a target of reducing suicide deaths and attempts by 50 per cent by 2030, stressing that legal reform alone could not achieve the objective.

The group also called for stronger emergency response mechanisms capable of providing immediate support to people experiencing suicidal crises.

President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, Dr Veronica Oluyemisi Nyamali, raised concerns about the country’s mental health workforce, saying the number of available professionals remains inadequate.

She noted that the sector was being affected by the migration of healthcare professionals, while some medical residents were also abandoning psychiatric training.

Nyamali said removing the criminal penalty could make it easier for people experiencing psychological distress to seek help, but stressed that decriminalisation must be accompanied by adequate mental health services.

She said people who reach out for assistance must be able to access qualified professionals, appropriate treatment and follow-up support.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also called for greater attention to people affected by conflict and violence, who often face additional barriers to accessing mental healthcare.

An ICRC official, Juan Carlos, noted that insecurity, distance and the cost of treatment could prevent vulnerable people from obtaining the support they need.

Civil society organisations similarly urged the government to look beyond medical treatment and address the social and economic factors that can contribute to suicidal behaviour.

Speaking on behalf of people living with HIV in Nigeria, Isah Takuma called for mental healthcare to become an integral part of HIV services rather than an optional or secondary intervention.

He urged the government to strengthen the integration of mental health support into HIV programmes as part of its wider healthcare reform agenda.

The Federal Ministry of Health said Nigeria’s suicide-prevention efforts were anchored on the National Mental Health Act 2021, the National Mental Health Policy 2023 and the National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2023–2030.

The ministry has also stressed the importance of reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations about mental health and suicide.

According to the ministry, figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that Nigeria records more than 7,000 suicide deaths and about 300,000 suicide attempts annually, highlighting the scale of the country’s mental health and suicide-prevention challenge.

The government has consequently called for greater cooperation among healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, faith and traditional leaders, the media, academia, youth organisations and other stakeholders.

The 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day campaign seeks to change public attitudes towards suicide by replacing stigma, fear and misinformation with compassion, understanding and timely support.

The proposed reform is therefore intended not only to change the legal status of attempted suicide but also to encourage people experiencing emotional or psychological distress to seek help earlier.

Until the National Assembly considers and passes the proposed amendments and they become law, however, the existing criminal provisions remain in force.

The Federal Government’s stated objective is to create a system in which people experiencing mental health crises are treated primarily as individuals requiring care, protection and support, while strengthening the country’s wider suicide prevention and mental healthcare system.

FG Moves to Scrap Criminal Penalty for Attempted Suicide

Lagos Woman Jailed for Dumping Refuse in Drain During Rainfall

LAGOS — A 53-year-old resident of Meiran in Lagos State, Nelly Monday, has been sentenced to one month in prison for dumping refuse into a drainage channel during rainfall.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) said Monday was arrested on September 9 after she was allegedly caught disposing of waste into a drainage channel while it was raining.

She was subsequently arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi, where she pleaded guilty to the environmental offence.

Following her guilty plea, the court sentenced her to one month in prison.

The conviction is part of the ongoing enforcement by LAWMA and other relevant authorities against indiscriminate waste disposal across Lagos, particularly the practice of dumping refuse in drainage channels and other unauthorised locations.

The authorities have repeatedly warned that improper disposal of waste can obstruct waterways and drainage infrastructure, with potentially serious consequences during periods of heavy rainfall.

Blocked drains can prevent the free flow of stormwater and increase the risk of flooding, particularly in densely populated parts of Lagos where drainage systems come under pressure during the rainy season.

LAWMA has therefore urged residents to dispose of household and other waste through approved channels and avoid using drains, roadsides, medians and other unauthorised areas as dumping grounds.

READ ALSO:

• Peter Obi’s Benue Convoy Blockade Raises Questions Ahead of 2027
• Honda shakes up Nigeria operations, dissolves HAWA, retains HMN 
• Fire Scare at Abuja Train Station as Electrical Fault Sparks Blaze, NRC Assures Passengers

“Residents are urged to dispose of their waste responsibly and through approved channels,” the agency said in a statement.

The authority added that it would continue to work with relevant enforcement agencies to identify and sanction people who violate environmental laws in Lagos.

The latest prosecution also highlights the government’s increasingly strict approach to illegal waste disposal, as Lagos continues efforts to improve sanitation and reduce the environmental problems associated with indiscriminate dumping.

LAWMA has consistently encouraged residents to patronise approved waste collection services and ensure that refuse is properly contained and handed over to authorised waste collectors.

The agency has also warned residents against disposing of waste in drainage channels, stressing the importance of keeping waterways and other drainage infrastructure free from refuse.

Monday’s case is not the first time that people have been sentenced to prison in Lagos over illegal waste disposal.

More than a year earlier, six people were sentenced to one month in prison after they were arrested for allegedly dumping refuse at unauthorised locations in the state.

According to LAWMA, its enforcement team apprehended two of the offenders in Egbeda for allegedly dumping refuse on a road median, while four others were arrested in Dopemu for similar environmental offences.

The six offenders, aged between 25 and 40, were arraigned before the Bolade Magistrate Court in Oshodi, where they pleaded guilty and were subsequently sentenced to one month in prison.

The repeated prosecutions demonstrate that indiscriminate waste disposal can attract criminal sanctions in Lagos and that enforcement agencies are continuing to pursue offenders.

For residents, the authorities’ latest warning is particularly relevant during the rainy season, when waste dumped in drains can be washed further into waterways, potentially obstructing the movement of stormwater.

LAWMA has consequently urged members of the public to play their part in keeping the environment clean by using approved waste disposal channels and reporting illegal dumping where necessary.

The authority said its enforcement operations would continue across the state as part of efforts to tackle illegal waste disposal, protect drainage infrastructure and promote a cleaner and healthier Lagos environment.

Lagos Woman Jailed for Dumping Refuse in Drain During Rainfall

MURIC Raises Alarm Over Alleged Religious Imbalance in NDA 78RC Admission

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, Abuja Chapter, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently review the recently released admission list for the 78th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), alleging religious imbalance in the selection of successful candidates.

MURIC, in a statement dated September 10, 2026, signed by its Abuja Chapter Chairman, Ustaz Yunus Salahudeen, and the chapter’s Publicity Secretary, Lukman Babalola Laleye, said its preliminary analysis of the admission list revealed what it described as “disturbing patterns” in the distribution of Muslim and Christian candidates across several states.

The group also expressed concern over the religious composition of key officers involved in the NDA admission process.

According to MURIC, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chairman of the NDA Selection Board, the Commandant of the NDA, the NDA Registrar and the NDA Provost are all Christians.

The organisation argued that the concentration of the key positions in the hands of people of one faith raised questions about balance, fairness and objectivity in the admission process.

It also linked its concerns to the Federal Character principle provided for under Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

MURIC said its analysis showed significant disparities in the religious composition of successful candidates from a number of states.

For instance, the group claimed that six of the 10 candidates listed for Adamawa were Christians, while all three reserve candidates were also Christians.

It alleged that Benue had only one Muslim among 10 candidates, with all three reserve candidates being Christians.

In Ebonyi, MURIC said only one Muslim was listed and that the candidate was placed on the reserve list, while Edo allegedly had no Muslim among the admitted and reserve candidates.

READ ALSO:

• Veteran Nollywood Actress Cries Out for Financial Help Over Cervical Cancer Battle
• Agunbiade fires back at Deji Yesufu: Don’t mistake Boko Haram for Islam
• Breaking the Cycle of Collective Guilt: When a Ruling Party Voice Backs Peter Obi

The organisation also claimed that Ekiti had only three Muslims among the 10 candidates, including reserves, while the Federal Capital Territory had two Muslims among six candidates.

In Gombe, MURIC alleged that five of the 10 candidates were Christians and all three reserve candidates were Christians.

The group further cited Imo, where it claimed there was only one Muslim among 13 candidates, including the reserve list, and Ondo, where it alleged that no Muslim was among the 13 candidates, including reserves.

Other states cited by MURIC included Kaduna, where it claimed six out of 10 candidates were Christians; Kebbi, with one Christian among 10; Kogi, with four Muslims among 10; Kwara, with four Muslims among 10; Lagos, with five Muslims among 10; Nasarawa, with four Muslims; Niger, with four Muslims; Ogun, with two Muslims; Oyo, with three Muslims; Plateau, with three Muslims compared with 10 Christians; and Taraba, with two Muslims among 10.

The organisation also alleged that Borno had three Christians among 10 candidates, with one Christian on the reserve list, while Yobe had two Christians among the 10 candidates.

MURIC stressed that its observations were based on a preliminary analysis of the published list and said the disparities warranted clarification from the NDA.

The group consequently urged President Tinubu to intervene immediately and direct a review of the 78 Regular Course admission list to ensure what it described as fairness and balance.

It also called for the reconstitution of key admission and appointment positions within the NDA to better reflect Nigeria’s religious and ethnic diversity.

In addition, MURIC demanded that the NDA publish the criteria used in selecting the successful candidates, including the cut-off marks and quota allocated to each state.

“As the saying goes, ‘a problem identified is a problem half solved,’” the organisation stated, expressing confidence that the Presidency would act promptly to address the issue.

MURIC said such action was necessary to promote unity, equity and national cohesion.

The group concluded by praying for leaders who would uphold justice and fairness.

MURIC Raises Alarm Over Alleged Religious Imbalance in NDA 78RC Admission