A Professor of Psychiatry at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Taiwo Sheikh, has called for a shift in how society addresses suicide and its prevention.
Sheikh, who also coordinates the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, made the call in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos.
He stressed the importance of treating individuals who attempt suicide with compassion and urged changing the narrative around criminalising such acts to encourage more people to seek help.
The psychiatrist criticised provisions in the Criminal Code and Penal Code that classify attempted suicide as an offence punishable by up to one year in prison. According to him, these laws contribute to underreporting and effectively punish victims who need care, support, and understanding.
Sheikh argued that as part of the fundamental human right to health, individuals who attempt suicide should receive appropriate care and psychosocial support rather than face legal sanctions.
He emphasised focusing on prevention, decriminalisation, and restoring hope to affected individuals, their families, and society at large.
Sheikh identified key psychosocial factors driving suicidal behaviour, including economic hardship, financial instability, frustration, depression, mental health conditions, and insecurity. Many people who attempt suicide, he said, are not genuinely seeking to die but are overwhelmed by challenging life circumstances.
He added that addressing these underlying issues with care, empathy, and social support is far more effective than criminalising those in crisis.
Citing a World Health Organization report, Sheikh noted that about 800,000 people die by suicide annually—one death every 40 seconds—mostly in low- and middle-income countries. Nigeria ranks 67th globally in suicide prevalence, highlighting the urgency of strengthening national prevention strategies and mental health support systems.
Describing suicide as a major global public health issue, he noted it remains one of the top 20 leading causes of death across all age groups worldwide. Sheikh called for coordinated national action to tackle the root causes of suicide through policy reforms and increased public awareness.
He emphasised that effective prevention requires a holistic, multi-sectoral approach involving mental health professionals, policymakers, educators, community leaders, and religious institutions. Suicide, he explained, is often driven by a desire to escape overwhelming psychological pain, making empathy-based interventions and accessible mental health services critical.
Sheikh urged increased advocacy, improved access to treatment, and the decriminalisation of suicide to create an enabling environment for prevention and intervention in Nigeria. Sustainable solutions, he concluded, require community engagement, strengthened healthcare services, robust policy support, and public education on coping strategies and mental health awareness.
