A viral video on social media on Wednesday shows a young man who attempted to plunge to his death from the Lekki -Ikoyi link bridge in Lagos.
From the video patrol officers of the Lekki Concession Centre and other bystanders are seen preventing the man from taking the leap off the bridge.
The patrol officers were also seen trying to motivate the apparently inconsolable man after which he was handed over to law enforcement officials.
However, reasons for his attempted suicide remain vague.
Attempted Suicide Is A Crime In Nigeria
Suicides, especially in public spaces, have become rampant of late with the popular case of 21-year-old Odunare Olalekan in December 2021, who was caught on video perching on the rails of Berger Bridge in Epe, Lagos for several minutes before jumping to his death in the Lagos Lagoon.
According to Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act, Attempted Suicide is a crime in Nigeria and is punishable by one year in prison. Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for one year.
Similarly, section 231 of the penal code (applicable to northern Nigeria) puts forth:
Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.
Despite its treatment as a crime, several have scorned this move calling for it to be discarded.
The House of Representatives in February passed through second reading a bill seeking to provide compulsory counselling and community service for a period not less than six months for persons who attempt suicide.
The private member bill sponsored by Hon. Francis Waive sort to amend the ‘decriminalise suicide and provide for a more rational punishment for the offence of attempted suicide and for related matters.’
Hon. Waive maintained that suicidal people are in need of effective treatments, counselling and assistance not punishment.
He also argued that penalizing attempted suicide was hardly a prevention method instead the law should direct the appropriate authorities to assist the traumatized attempters.
