5th May, 2024
The Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has said there would be a review of the law that imposes sentencing by the court for suicide attempts.
Fagbemi, according to a statement made available on Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President on Communications & Publicity, Office of the AGF, Kamarudeen Ogundele, gave this assurance while hosting a delegation from the Asido Foundation, a non-governmental organisation promoting mental health advocacy and reforms to improve awareness, reduce stigma and discrimination and empower persons with mental disorders and their families.
Fagbemi said: “The law is something we have to take a second look at, especially where it is established that the offenders are not in the right state of mind. What the offenders need is pity, treatment and love to rid society of this kind of situation.
“But whatever we do is not binding on the states. So, I will take the case to the Body of Attorneys General”.
The AGF said he would discuss the Mental Health Act with the Federal Ministry of Health.
The Founder of Asido, Dr Jibril Abdulmalik, had in his remarks earlier pleaded with Fagbemi to help to review the law sentencing people for attempted suicide signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2023.
Abdulmalik said: “It is because of a sense of hopelessness that makes them (those who attempt suicide) get to the edge where they think they are better off dying.
“In that situation, what they need is help and treatment, not punishment and incarceration. We know the workload is heavy for our judicial officers. We don’t want them overburdened with cases that should ordinarily go to the hospitals”.