has finally signed into law the Mental Health Bill 2021 after two failed attempts at overhaul in 2003 and 2013.
Mr Oloriegbe, who defeated the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, during the 2019 general election, is a first-timer in the upper legislative chamber, and sponsor of the bill. The body urges the National Assembly to “ensure gazetted copies of the bill are available to citizens, so they know their new legal rights.”
“It also guarantees that those receiving treatments have the right to participate in formulating their medical plans and cannot have forced treatment, seclusion, or other methods of restraint — common practices in mental health facilities — without appropriate safeguards.” He added: “I further lamented on the absence of mental health law in Nigeria other than the Regional Lunacy Law of 1918, which in context and content violated fundamental human rights of persons with mental health and psychosocial disabilities.”