The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi has disclosed that the Federal Government and the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will review the law imposing sentencing for suicide attempts.
Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said that the Federal Government would liaise with the 36 States to reappraise the extant laws prohibiting suicide.
The AGF, in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday gave the assurance when he received a delegation from the Asido Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) promoting mental health advocacy and reforms with a view to improving awareness, reducing stigma and discrimination and empowering persons with mental disorders and their families.
He identified the provision of quality health care as a major priority area of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
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“The law is something we have to take a second look at, especially where it is established that the offenders are not in the right state of mind. What the offenders need is pity, treatment and love so as to rid society of this kind of situation.
“But whatever we do is not binding on the states. So, I will take the case to the Body of Attorneys General,” Fagbemi added.
According to him, the Ministry of Justice would collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health to review issues around the existing Mental Health Act
Earlier in the meeting, the founder of Asido, Dr Jibril Abdulmalik, sought the help of the AGF in reviewing of the law sentencing people for attempted suicide as well as the implementation of the Mental Health Act signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2023.
According to Abdulmalik, medical evidence had shown that all over the world, 80-90 per cent of those who attempted suicide had background mental illness, especially depression.
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“It is because of a sense of hopelessness that makes them get to the edge where they think they are better off dying.
“In that situation what they need is help and treatment, not punishment and incarceration. We know the workload is heavy for our judicial officers…We don’t want them overburdened with cases that should ordinarily go to the hospitals,” Abdulmalik added in the statement that was signed by media aide to the AGF, Mr. Kamarudeen Ogundele.
