ADC criticizes Akpabio over insensitive comments on suicide

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned Senate President Godswill Akpabio for his reported comment about "seven virgins" during a debate on suicide attempts. The party called this remark insensitive and not suitable for a discussion about mental health.

The ADC also criticized Akpabio's support for jail time as punishment for failed suicide attempts. They argued that lawmakers should view suicide attempts as a mental health issue, not a crime.

On Wednesday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, released a statement. He said Akpabio’s comment could bring religious stereotypes into a debate that should focus on saving lives.

Akpabio reportedly made the remark during Tuesday’s Senate session while lawmakers were discussing the National Suicide Prevention Bill. A video that later circulated online showed him saying, with laughter, "why death may be attractive to some young people is that they have seven virgins waiting for them."

In response, the ADC said, "We find the ‘seven virgins’ remark particularly disturbing because it introduces religious stereotyping into a discussion that should be about protecting human life. Such a lurid comment is not only careless and insensitive. It also trivialises an issue that is, literally speaking, a matter of life and death."

The party emphasized that people who survive suicide attempts need support and access to mental health care instead of facing legal consequences. They described the criminalization of attempted suicide as a leftover from colonial times that should be removed.

They accused the Senate President of pushing for a harsh approach towards those facing severe psychological issues. "The criminalisation of attempted suicide is a colonial legacy. These laws belong to an era when people experiencing profound distress were treated as offenders rather than as human beings in need of care," the statement noted.

The ADC expressed disappointment that Akpabio supported keeping imprisonment as a punishment when lawmakers had a chance to change the law. "It is shameful that, when presented with an opportunity to reform this punitive inheritance, the head of the Senate chose to champion its preservation. Nigeria cannot continue to punish people for surviving a crisis that nearly claimed their lives, especially when those who handed us those laws have long abolished them," the party added.

The ADC also warned that threatening suicide survivors with jail time might prevent vulnerable individuals from seeking help or sharing their thoughts about suicide. "A position that leaves a suicidal person with only the choice of death or imprisonment does not discourage suicide. It encourages it," they said.

They cautioned that such a stance could worsen the situation for those already struggling with mental health issues. This controversy arises as many are calling for Nigeria to improve its mental health services and revise laws on suicide attempts.

According to Section 231 of the Criminal Code in southern Nigeria, attempting to kill oneself is a misdemeanour punishable by imprisonment. Similarly, Section 327 of the Penal Code in northern Nigeria also criminalizes attempted suicide.

Mental health advocates have long pointed out that punishing people can increase the stigma around suicidal thoughts and keep them from seeking help. The ADC urged lawmakers to take a kinder approach that focuses on prevention, counseling, treatment, and support for those with suicidal thoughts or those who have attempted suicide.

The party insisted that protecting human life should be the main goal in any laws aimed at preventing suicide. Akpabio's comments have highlighted the clash between harsh legal measures and the increasing push for a public health approach to suicide prevention. The actual effects of the National Suicide Prevention Bill will depend on its details and the results of the legislative process.