{
  "id": 14418189,
  "title": "Lawyer faults Akpabio over jail term view for suicide survivors",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/lawyer-faults-akpabio-over-jail-term-view-for-suicide-survivors",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-14T09:58:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/lawyer-faults-akpabio-over-jail-term-view-for-suicide-survivors/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Human rights advocate Pelumi Olajengbesi has criticized Senate President Godswill Akpabio for advocating jail terms for survivors of suicide attempts. In a Facebook post, Olajengbesi stated that punishing such individuals is counterproductive and may hinder their access to necessary mental health care. He emphasized the need for empathy from leaders, arguing that the Suicide Act 1961 has decriminalized suicide in England and Wales, and Nigeria should follow suit by prioritizing care and recovery over punishment. Olajengbesi highlighted that a person who survives a suicide attempt requires urgent assistance, and sentencing them to prison could exacerbate the distress that led to their attempt. He further stressed that leadership should address the underlying causes of distress, such as economic hardship, trauma, isolation, and mental health challenges. Akpabio's reported comments during a Senate session were deemed insensitive to the suffering of Nigerians in psychological crisis.",
  "summary": "A human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has faulted Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s insistence on a jail term for suicide survivors in Nigeria. Read More: https://punchng.com/lawyer-faults-akpabio-over-jail-term-view-for-suicide-survivors/",
  "key_points": [
    "Human rights advocate Pelumi Olajengbesi faults Akpabio's stance",
    "Punishing suicide survivors counterproductive, hinders mental health care",
    "Nigeria should decriminalize suicide, prioritize care and recovery"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Lawyer faults Akpabio over jail term view for suicide survivors",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/lawyer-faults-akpabio-over-jail-term-view-for-suicide-survivors-14422420",
        "published": "2026-10-14T10:20:54.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}