Senate President Godswill Akpabio has insisted that anyone who attempts suicide and survives should be jailed, even as the Senate advanced a bill seeking to decriminalise the act and provide support for survivors.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo (Cross River South), passed its second reading on Tuesday and was referred to the Senate Committees on Health and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Akpabio argued that removing the penalties could encourage the act. “If you attempt suicide, make sure you die. Anyone who attempts and fails will go to jail,” he said.

He added that the Criminal Code and Penal Code required input from State Houses of Assembly to avoid legal conflicts.

Asuquo said the bill seeks to resolve the conflict between laws criminalising attempted suicide and the National Mental Health Act, which recognises it as a psychiatric emergency requiring medical intervention.

“Our law presently speaks with two voices,” he said, noting that Sections 327 of the Criminal Code and 231 of the Penal Code still punish attempted suicide.

He argued that the police station or correctional facility should not be the default destination for a person who requires urgent clinical care.

Asuquo warned that criminalisation could discourage people from seeking help, encourage families to conceal incidents and deepen mental health stigma. The bill proposes crisis response services, medical referrals, psychological support and public education.

Supporting the bill, Senator Dayo Faduyile said attempted suicide should be treated as a medical emergency.

“The best way to treat anybody who did not succumb to a suicide attempt is actually not to criminalise it. They need help,” he said.

Senator Abdul Ningi also backed further consideration of the bill, while Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele raised concerns about whether the proposed amendment would apply nationwide, given differences in states’ legal frameworks.