An Abuja-based cleric and legal scholar, Rev. Fr. Anthony Azuwike, has described Nigeria’s Mental Health Act, signed into law in 2023, as progressive but inadequate, noting that it has not fully decriminalized attempted suicide across the country.
Azuwike, Head of the Department of Private and Property Law at Veritas University, Abuja, made the observation during an interview with reporters on Sunday while speaking on mental health issues.
He explained that although the Act replaced the outdated Lunacy Act of 1958 and recognizes attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency, criminal provisions under Nigeria’s Penal and Criminal Codes remain in force.
“The Mental Health Act was signed into law in 2023 and replaced the outdated 1958 Lunacy Act, but it does not explicitly decriminalize attempted suicide,” Azuwike said.
According to him, the Penal Code applicable in Northern Nigeria and the Criminal Code in Southern Nigeria still contain provisions that criminalize attempted suicide, despite growing awareness that such actions often stem from mental or psychological conditions requiring care rather than punishment.
“You would expect this law to decriminalize attempted suicide, given the increased understanding that it is linked to mental health challenges that require treatment, not criminal sanctions,” he said.
Azuwike also stressed the responsibility of educational institutions to safeguard students’ mental wellbeing.
“Schools have a serious duty to protect students’ wellbeing, including mental health, through counseling services, timely referrals, confidentiality and supportive environments that discourage bullying and stigma,” he said.
He urged parents to conduct due diligence before enrolling their children in schools, advising them to inquire about mental health support systems and to be aware that legal remedies exist where schools fail in their duty of care.
