The federal government has pledged to review the law imposing sentencing for suicide attempts.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi who made this known said the federal government would liaise with the 36 States to reappraise the extant laws prohibiting suicide.
The AGF, in a statement, gave the assurance when he received a delegation from the Asido Foundation, a non-governmental organisation promoting mental health advocacy and reforms with a view to improving awareness, reducing stigma and discrimination, and empowering persons with mental disorders and their families.
He identified the provision of quality health care as a major priority area of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He said the Ministry of Justice would collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health to review issues around the existing Mental Health Act.
Earlier in the meeting, the founder of Asido, Dr Jibril Abdulmalik, sought the help of the AGF in reviewing of the law sentencing people for attempted suicide as well as the implementation of the Mental Health Act signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2023.
Abdulmalik said medical evidence had shown that all over the world, 80-90 per cent of those who attempted suicide had background mental illness, especially depression.
