A mental health advocate has called on the government to urgently repeal laws that criminalise suicide attempts, warning that such punitive measures contradict the country’s recently passed Mental Health Act and could worsen the national suicide crisis.

Executive Director of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI), Abiodun Oguntola, who spoke during a media workshop on responsible suicide reporting held over the weekend, described the continued criminalisation of suicide as counterproductive and harmful to individuals struggling with mental health conditions.

“The Mental Health Act proffers supporting people struggling with their mental health, but the criminal code says jail them. This contradiction is dangerous. The more we threaten people with prison for surviving a suicide attempt, the more likely they are to ensure the next attempt is fatal just to avoid prosecution.”

Oguntola stressed that attempted suicide is not a crime, but a sign of distress that requires compassion, support, and clinical intervention and not punishment, adding that when people in crisis are threatened with jail terms, they may be more determined to complete suicide attempts to avoid prosecution, making prevention and intervention far more difficult.

The workshop, themed “Robbing Minds Together,” brought together media professionals, mental health experts, and advocates to explore how the media can contribute to suicide prevention through responsible and non-sensationalist reporting.

He, therefore, urged the media to avoid sensationalising suicide stories, disclosing methods, or glamorising victims, saying that such practices could unintentionally encourage copycat behaviour.

Oguntola also encouraged journalists to adopt the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on responsible suicide reporting that discourage the publication of graphic details but instead focus on prevention resources, mental health education, and hope.