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FG to decriminalise attempted suicide in December

Published

9 months ago

September 10, 2025

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to decriminalising attempted suicide in Nigeria, setting December 2025 as the target date for the reform.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, stated this on Wednesday at a press briefing in Abuja, in commemoration of the 2025 World Suicide Prevention Day, themed “Changing the narrative on suicide, creating hope through action.”

Globally, September 10 is dedicated to raising awareness and recommitting to saving lives that otherwise might be lost to suicide.

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 720,000 people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds, and 73 per cent of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.

In Nigeria, one of the most significant barriers to seeking help has been the criminalisation of attempted suicide under Sections 327 and 231 of the Criminal and Penal Codes, as the punitive approach has discouraged distressed individuals from seeking help and worsened stigmatisation.

To address this, the Federal Government inaugurated a National Taskforce on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide on October 10, 2024, chaired by Prof. Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, with a mandate to guide Nigeria’s transition from punishment to a public health–oriented, compassionate response.

Pate, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary at the briefing, Daju Kachollom, said, “Evidence shows that with increased public awareness, early identification of warning signs, improved access to mental health care, and compassionate community support, suicide rates can be significantly reduced.

“And this year’s theme calls on us to replace silence with dialogue, shame with empathy, and stigma with understanding. It reminds us that our words matter, our attitudes matter, and our collective actions matter.

“Recognising the urgency for reform, the Federal Government took decisive action and, on the 10th of October 2024, the ministry inaugurated a national taskforce on the decriminalisation of attempted suicide.

“The taskforce was mandated to guide the transition from punishment to a compassionate, public health-oriented response, with a clear target to actualise decriminalisation by December 2025, which means we have less than four months.”

He noted that a government white paper had been finalised, while a draft amendment to the National Mental Health Act 2021, now the National Mental Health Act Amendment Bill 2025, had been developed to repeal punitive provisions in the Criminal and Penal Codes.

The minister stated that he has reviewed and adopted the draft white paper and amendment bill as the official position of the Ministry.

He further noted that there has been continued statutory engagement with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, along with his team, for additional input.

“After this, I will be presenting a memo at the Federal Executive Council for an Executive Bill on Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide,” he added.

In her opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, Daju Kachollom, stated that though cases are under-reported in Nigeria due to a stigmatising environment, suicide is a growing concern.

Kachollom, who was represented by the Director of Port Health Services, Dr. Nse Akpan, highlighted that this year’s focus is not only to raise awareness but also to show commitment to preventing suicide through compassion, interventions, and reforms.

“The reality is clear: criminalising suicide attempts does not save lives. Instead, it worsens stigma, discourages people from seeking help, and adds legal punishment to personal suffering.

“Our ministry is determined to change this narrative by promoting a more humane, health-centred response,” she said.

The National Coordinator of the National Mental Health Programme, Dr. Tunde Ojo, said the reform aligns with global best practices where suicide is treated as a public health concern, not a crime.

In her goodwill message, the Vice President of Integration and Nigeria’s Country Director at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Dr. Olufunke Fasawe, represented by Dr. Chizoba Fashanu, said Nigeria ranks seventh globally in suicide cases, stressing the need for reforms to tackle the problem.

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11th Senate to consider six-year single term for president, governors – Lawmaker

Published

4 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed plans to sponsor a bill seeking to introduce a single six-year tenure for presidents and governors after the 2027 general elections.

Bamidele said the proposed legislation would be among the first bills he intends to introduce when the next Senate is inaugurated, arguing that it would enable elected leaders to focus on governance rather than re-election campaigns.

Speaking during an interview with reporters in his office on Tuesday, the lawmaker said the current two-term arrangement often compels officeholders to devote a significant portion of their first term to political calculations and preparations for re-election.

“One of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving, by God’s grace, when we come back for the 11th Senate, God willing, is for a bill that will only make it possible for anyone who wants to be president of this country, or governor in any part of this country, to spend only one term of six years,” he said.

According to him, a single tenure would eliminate distractions associated with seeking a second term.

“So that you don’t even have to worry about wasting almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling and looking forward to how you’ll be re-elected,” Bamidele said.

“If you know you are there for six years, only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have.”

The Senate Leader acknowledged that the proposal may not enjoy universal support but maintained that lawmakers have a responsibility to initiate reforms they believe would strengthen governance.

“That’s my opinion. It doesn’t mean everybody will agree with me. But it also does not mean that I am prevented from doing that because that has not been the law,” he said.

Bamidele stressed that laws are meant to evolve in response to changing realities and public needs.

“The essence of law, the essence of parliament, is that laws are like human beings; they grow,” he added.

The proposal, if formally introduced and passed by the National Assembly, would require constitutional amendments before it can take effect.

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Ibadan visitation: Nobody can stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria – Sheikh Gumi

Published

4 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi Ahmad, has broken his silence on his visitation to Ibadan late last year, amidst outrage that he was trying to Islamise Oyo State with some Northern ideologies and tenets.

Gumi stressed that nobody can stop him from visiting anywhere in the country, while maintaining that he was not invited by any Muslim group or individual in the South-West.

In a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, he said he was in Ibadan as a representative of northern Islamic scholars.

He made this known barely a day after one of the victims of the abduction in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State dismissed claims that their abductors demanded the implementation of Sharia law in the state as part of the conditions for releasing the victims.

PUNCH Online reports that the principal of Community High School, Esiele, Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, while speaking from captivity in a now-viral video, said the gunmen said they never demanded the introduction of Sharia law or a N1 billion ransom as reported in some quarters, but rather for the release of their associates currently in the custody of Nigerian authorities.

Also, the Muslim Rights Concern rejected the alleged demand for Sharia in a statement issued on Monday, describing the report as “a lie from the pit of Jahannam (hell)”.

MURIC argued that the so-called demand was inserted by enemies of Islam in the negotiation team to tarnish the image of Islam.

However, aligning with the Islamic group’s position, Gumi wrote, “I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in SW (South-West) and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics.

“I was in Ibadan, not by the invitation of any SW Muslim individual or group, but as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama.

“Can anybody stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria?”

Recall that Gumi visited Ibadan on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, where he served as a special guest and speaker at the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit.

The event took place at the University of Ibadan.

During his visit, he also attended a courtesy session alongside other prominent Southern and Northern Muslim scholars.

punch.ng

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Troops rescue six kidnap victims after clash with terrorists in Borno

Published

11 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued six kidnap victims following a confrontation with terrorists along the Delwa–Komala road in Borno State.

The incident occurred at about 17:58 hours on June 6, 2026 when troops at Forward Operating Base Molai received intelligence that armed terrorists had intercepted and abducted civilians travelling along the route.

Troops were immediately mobilised on a fighting patrol to the location and reportedly made contact with the terrorists upon arrival in the general area.

According to the sources, the armed group abandoned the victims and fled into nearby bushes following the troops’ approach.

The victims were successfully rescued unharmed and comprised four adult males, one adult female and one minor.

They were said to have been secured and moved to a safer location for further assessment and necessary documentation.

The military noted that the general security situation in the theatre remains calm but unpredictable, adding that troops continue to maintain aggressive patrols and clearance operations across vulnerable areas.

It further stated that troops’ morale and operational effectiveness remain satisfactory as operations continue to deny terrorists freedom of action within the North-East theatre.

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