EUTHANASIA AND THE NIGERIAN CRIMINAL CODE LAWS; A NEED FOR REVIEW

Abstract

Euthanasia has remained the easiest way of either taking one s life or being assisted to do so. This culture of death is legal in some part of Europe, while same is gradually creeping into Africa. Besides the debate to legalize or de-legalize are equally on-going in several other parts of the world including Africa. However, one major controversy arisen however from the legalization of this concept is the lack or inability of some countries to make clearer laws on the issue. Lack of clearer laws in Montana, the United States of America; Britain, France and Italy, amongst others have caused avoidable deaths of innocent citizens. Apart from the above, same has pitched the executive and the legislatures against each other, thereby contributing to the pains of a suffering patient who may have to wait so long in order to know his or her fate. Nigeria is not an exception. This is because certain provisions of the country s criminal code laws, although makes suicide illegal, does not specifically provide for euthanasia, whereas the rule of professional ethics for medical doctors specifically outlawed all kinds of euthanasia. This dilemma in the face of the Supreme Court s decision in 2004, calls for a review. It is in the light of the above that this paper seeks to examine the concept of euthanasia and the provisions of the country s criminal code law that seem to cater for same with a view to suggesting possible areas of amendment.