(Image Source https://twitter.com/pojuxcoba/status/1199293295530250241?s=20)

Speaking At the Association of Resident Doctors FCTA event held in Wuse market, Abuja on Tuesday the 26th of November 2019, Dr Roland Aigbovo lamented the fact that four Nigerian doctors had committed suicide between January and June this year. The campaign he said, is part of activities to mark the association’s Health Week which was aimed at educating traders and shoppers on the dangers of drug abuse.

While disclosing this fact, Dr. Aigbovo did not reveal the names of these doctors but did infer that these days people resorted to substance abuse to escape the stress they face in their lives. He said that these days many Nigerians resort to substance abuse to ease off the stress they face in their daily lives, he added that “people now take refuge in drugs to cover up stress, believing that once someone is high, he or she will forget their problems."

Dr. Aigbovo goes on to state that, the global burden of mental health disorder is projected to reach 15 per cent by the year 2020.

He goes further to say “You will agree with me that suicide is alien to African culture, we are not used to taking our lives no matter the stress, unfortunately, things are changing. “The medical profession is not left out of this menace because this year alone, between January and June, close to four doctors took their lives." “If those that have been trained to provide people with healthcare become patients to the extent of taking their lives, it is a source of huge concern.” He continued by saying that the purpose of the event was to draw the attention of the public and the Nigerian government to the issue of mental health in Nigeria.

More pictures from the event below. Image credit (https://twitter.com/pojuxcoba/status/1199293295530250241?s=20)

But what happens when you attempt suicide and fail?

Under Nigerian Law it is a crime to attempt suicide. Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act states:

"Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for one year."

Curiously, Section 326 of the same act also makes assisting someone to commit suicide a crime, it states:

Any person who-

 (1)     procures another to kill himself; or

 (2)     counsels another to kill himself and thereby induces him to do so; or

 (3)     aids another in killing himself;

                is guilty of a felony, and is liable, to imprisonment for life.

From the above it is clear that Nigerian law frowns on suicide and aiding it, although in my humble view i respectfully disagree. While i abhor the taking of one's own life i believe these perpetrators of the crime should be given assistance to enable them overcome the mental stress that might've pushed them to want to commit suicide. I believe, imprisoning them will only increase the mental and emotional stress they're already experiencing and might propel their resolve to commit said crime successfully as soon as they're free.

I'm Fredrick Nwanji and i'm a lawyer

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