Attempted Suicide And The Law In Nigeria: The Way Forward

Introduction

In Nigeria, the legal stance on suicide and specifically attempted suicide is currently in a major state of transition. While it has over time been a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment, the Federal Government and various advocacy groups are actively working to decriminalise it, with a target for full legal reform.

Suicide is defined as a self-inflicted injury that results in death. However, attempted suicide is a self-inflicted injury intended to result in death, but which does not lead to death. Suicide has been part of human history since antiquity. The recent suicides by Nigerians, serve as a reminder that suicide is a complicated and growing epidemic in the country and even globally. This article seeks to shed light on Nigerian law enforcement's efforts to combat the threat of attempted suicide and further examine the recent efforts to decriminalise the offence.

Criminalisation of Suicide in Nigeria:

Human life is protected by the domestic laws of Nigeria. Any harm, conscious or unconscious, is considered a crime which attracts varying degrees of punishments. When it comes to the taking of a human life by another, it is regarded as a capital offence in most jurisdictions including Nigeria and the death penalty or a life sentence is imposed upon conviction. The law in Nigeria places a premium on human life, so that even an attempt to take a human life by another is generally treated as a grievous criminal offence, with severe punishments reserved for perpetrators and conspirators who are found guilty.

However, when it comes to suicide, which is another way of taking a life, the difference is that the perpetrator is also the victim in most cases. The law struggled for a long time to find its role in suicide management and prevention. In cases of a successful suicide, the law is left off the hook because the victim is also the perpetrator; therefore, the law cannot punish a dead perpetrator. Attempted suicide, on the other hand, leaves room for the law to wade in because the perpetrator is still alive and can be subjected to punishment or whatever the law deems the right approach.

Attempted suicide, as of today, has been established as an offence punishable in Nigeria. The Criminal Code Act provides that any person who attempts to kill themselves is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for one (1) year.¹ Under the Penal Code, which is applicable in the Northern parts of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, the punishment is similarly one (1) year of imprisonment, a fine or both.² However, some states have made unique provisions; for example, in Lagos, there is a move towards a more progressive "hospitalisation over incarceration" model under its 2011 Criminal Law.³

Cases of Attempted Suicide in Nigeria

In Nigeria, there have been reported cases of attempted suicide and some of these cases were reported to the authorities. Some examples of such life situations are as follows.

1. In Adeyanju v State, Nigeria's Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's ruling regarding criminal liability in the offence of attempted suicide, sentencing a man convicted of attempted suicide by drug overdose to 1year imprisonment.⁴
2. The recent suicide attempt by the famous TikToker Habeeb Hamzat, aka Peller, during a live stream on the Lekki-Epe Expressway-an incident that ended in a road crash on the 14^th day of December, 2025.⁵

These, among others, are part the countless recorded cases of attempted suicide in Nigeria. The thought of the attempts that go unrecorded makes the situation in dire need of serious attention.

Criminalisation of the Offence of Attempted Suicide in Nigeria (Arguments For and Against)

There are ongoing debates around the criminalisation of attempted suicide, which by many indications are tilting significantly to the side of the spectrum that supports the decriminalisation of suicide attempts. Arguments highlighting deterrence aims, morality issues and state paternalism are used to defend criminalisation, while humanitarian, health-focused and resource allocation issues are widely cited to call for decriminalisation within a public health framework. The prevailing global stance is that the criminalisation of attempted suicide is against international human rights standards. Accordingly, many countries have moved away from imposing punitive measures to improving their medical response to reported cases of attempted suicide.

Those in support of the continued criminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria have contended that it acts as a deterrent and prevents people from attempting suicide in the first place. There is also the argument that having a law against suicide attempts induces a commitment to stay alive in vulnerable individuals. It has also been suggested that criminalisation could prompt the intervention of law enforcement and facilitate access to mental health care for suicidal persons. Additionally, some religious arguments based on morality have been used to defend the retention of attempted suicide as a punishable offence. Most religious and moral beliefs support the notion that human life is sacred, thereby justifying the use of man-made laws to punish anyone who attempts to take a life, including by attempted suicide.⁶

On the other side of the spectrum, many experts have highlighted reasons why attempted suicide should be decriminalised in Nigeria. A central argument is that criminalisation worsens the stigma around suicidal behaviours and creates barriers to seeking help. The effect of stigma must also be recognised, as it undermines suicide prevention efforts while perpetuating harmful myths about suicide. In the same vein, several studies indicate that the shame and stigma associated with the criminalisation of attempted suicide increase the risk of further attempts and ultimate suicide mortality. There are also humanitarian arguments against criminalisation, emphasising that punishment is unethical considering that attempted suicide often arises from mental health issues and extreme distress, which most people do not have control over, rather than criminal intention.

Authors have further reasoned that law enforcement approaches could result in human rights violations, loss of autonomy and justice-related concerns for vulnerable people if attempted suicide remains criminalised. There are also debates around resource allocation. Some argue that criminalisation and law enforcement interventions drain resources that could be better utilised for mental healthcare and suicide prevention programs. Overall, recent global debates on this issue have further emphasised a public health and human rights-based approach to be a better option rather than a legal approach, indicating that attempted suicide may be better addressed as a mental health issue requiring compassionate medical care rather than a criminal justice matter requiring punishment.

Recommendations

The goal of suicide prevention should be to stop suicide rather than to punish people who have tried and failed to take their lives. Instead, the following avenues should be pursued:

1. Expunge the Criminal and Penal Codes of provisions making attempted suicide a criminal offence to facilitate its decriminalisation: this is the first step that must be taken to decriminalise the offence of attempted suicide.
2. Adopt alternative interventions advised by the World Health Organization (WHO): WHO Member States, such as Nigeria, have committed to work towards the worldwide goal of reducing the suicide rate in countries by one-third by 2030, as outlined in the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030. As demonstrated, criminalising attempted suicide is ineffective and counterproductive toward achieving this objective. Suicide is a significant public health issue, yet it can be avoided with prompt, evidence-based, and relatively low-cost interventions. A comprehensive, multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is necessary for an effective national response.⁷
3. Reject medical detention or other compulsory requirements that involve prosecution: Lagos State government, while making progressive strides in decriminalising suicide, still requires hospitalisation in cases of attempted suicide under its 2011 criminal code.
4. Stakeholder engagement: Engage with relevant stakeholders to understand and dispel moral, cultural, or religious justifications for criminalisation or justifications based on the notion of punishment as a deterrent to suicide. Stakeholders may include religious and community leaders, policymakers, parliamentarians and other politicians, mental health professionals, legislators, representatives from the criminal justice system, police, as well as persons with lived experience, family members, and other relevant civil society stakeholders.

Conclusion

It is essential to decriminalise attempted suicide and recognise this behavior as a public health issue. Suicide is a tragic endpoint of complex factors and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Attempted suicide must be recognised as a cry for help that it is, rather than as a crime to be punished. This form of structural violence must not continue; the time to act legally is now.

Footnotes

1. Section 327

2. Section 231

3. Section 233 Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011

. (2015) 13 NWLR (Pt. 1477) 475 SC

5. Punch, 'Peller Apologises for Suicide Attempt Amid Police Probe' https://punchng.com/peller-apologises-for-suicide-attempt-amid-police-probe/ accessed 19 January, 2026.

6. Oluwabiyi, et al 'Attempted Suicide and the Law in Nigeria: Lessons from Other Jurisdictions' (2024) Journal of Law, Policy and Globalization Vol.141, https://iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JLPG/article/view/62338 accessed 19 January, 2026.

7. World Health Organization, 'Suicide' https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide accessed 12 January, 2026.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.