Stakeholders in mental health and the media have renewed calls for the decriminalisation of suicide in Nigeria and urged journalists to adopt more responsible storytelling techniques that discourage copycat acts and help shape national policies toward prevention.
This call was made by the Executive Director of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI), Abiodun Oguntola, during a Media Engagement Session held in Lagos with the theme “Responsible Suicide Reporting and Storytelling: Changing the Narrative to Save Lives.”
Oguntola said responsible reporting can become a powerful advocacy tool for policy change, especially in pushing government to review laws and regulations that currently worsen mental health challenges.
“Suicide is still a crime in Nigeria, and that in itself is a big problem,” he said. “When journalists report responsibly, using the right words and highlighting policy failures, they can influence government action. For instance, many substances used in suicide attempts are governed by production and access policies. If the media questions what government is doing about such policies, it can lead to reform.”
He noted that the government generates significant revenue from taxes on some of these substances, yet little is being done to control their accessibility or regulate their misuse.
“When accessibility to such substances is reduced, people will not easily find means to take their own lives,” Oguntola explained. “These small policy actions can save lives.”
Oguntola described the continued criminalisation of suicide in Nigeria as “counterproductive,” arguing that it contradicts the recently signed Mental Health Act, which seeks to provide care and support to people experiencing mental health challenges.
“The same government that passed the Mental Health Act is still prosecuting people who attempt suicide,” he said. “That is contradictory. One policy says provide support, while the other says send them to jail. The two cannot work together.”
He added that the colonial law inherited from Britain, which criminalises attempted suicide, has long been repealed in the United Kingdom and several other countries.
“The countries that introduced this law to us have moved on. Research has shown that criminalisation actually increases suicide success rates. When people know they’ll go to jail if they survive, they make sure they die. So, the law needs to go,” Oguntola said.
On the role of the media, the MANI Executive Director cautioned journalists and editors against sensational headlines and graphic details when reporting suicide cases, noting that such practices could trigger vulnerable individuals.
“If a person already contemplating suicide sees a headline that boldly says ‘Suicide,’ it might catch their attention and give them ideas,” he said. “We are not saying don’t report the story — just do it responsibly. Avoid mentioning the method used or portraying the act as a form of success or escape.”
Oguntola urged editors, who determine how headlines are framed, to prioritise social responsibility over profit.
“Editors want to make money, and sensational stories attract clicks, but we must ask ourselves: what impact does this have on society? We have reported suicide the same way for years, and the rates are rising. Can we change the dynamics and see if it improves?” he asked.
He emphasised that responsible media coverage should focus on solutions, support systems, and available help rather than on the act itself.
The media engagement, organised by MANI to mark World Suicide Prevention Month, brought together journalists, broadcasters, and mental health advocates to discuss how responsible storytelling can prevent suicide and challenge harmful narratives.
Oguntola said the workshop was designed to “fill the vacuum” in how suicide is portrayed in news and entertainment media.
“We noticed that the way suicide is written in scripts, movies, and news often glorifies or sensationalises it,” he explained. “This can make suicide look like a way to gain attention or sympathy. We want to change that narrative.”
He advised individuals dealing with depression or suicidal thoughts to seek help immediately rather than suffer in silence.
“There is help available, free of charge,” he said. “At Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative, we have counsellors who can talk with you, listen to you, and walk you through recovery. You are not alone. Many people have struggled and overcome, and you can too.”
Oguntola concluded by urging government, media organisations, and civil society to work together in promoting preventive strategies rather than punitive ones.
“If the law keeps punishing people for attempting suicide, more people will die. But if we remove the law and provide support, we will save lives. Every responsible report, every policy review, and every conversation about suicide prevention brings us closer to a safer society.” He said.