The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has restated its commitment to prioritising the mental well-being of personnel across the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, gave the assurance in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2025 World Mental Health Day Symposium, organised by the Department of Defence Civil–Military Relations in collaboration with Secure the Future (SDF).
The event, themed “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies,” highlighted the need for proactive mental health support during crises.
Represented by AVM Olusola Akinboyewa, Director of Defence Civil–Military Relations, Musa said the military’s strength was not defined by firepower alone but also by the emotional stability of its personnel.
“The unseen wounds of stress, trauma, and fatigue can be just as debilitating as physical injuries,” he said. “A resilient military force requires both physical and psychological fitness.”
He noted that troops often face extreme stress while managing conflicts, disasters, and humanitarian emergencies, stressing that mental health must form part of national crisis response frameworks.
According to him, the DHQ’s collaboration with SDF aims to enhance awareness, early intervention, and access to quality mental health services for officers and soldiers operating under high-pressure conditions.
He commended the organisers for providing a platform to promote mental health literacy and institutional capacity-building within the military.
“Together, we can normalise conversations around mental health and ensure that no one suffers in silence,” Musa added.
Founder of Secure the Future, Mrs. Saidatu Adamu, described mental health as a national security imperative, urging stronger collaboration and practical steps to make care accessible across all sectors.
“A mentally healthy force is an effective, resilient, and mission-ready force,” she said, calling for policies and counselling structures to help personnel manage trauma and stress.
In his lecture, Prof. Taiwo Sheik, a psychiatry professor at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, described mental health as a growing national crisis that requires urgent attention, especially among military personnel serving in conflict zones.
“More than one in five people living in conflict areas suffer mental health conditions compared to one in eight globally,” he said, noting that Nigeria could have up to 50 million citizens living with varying degrees of mental health challenges.
Sheik urged policymakers to prioritise mental health funding, promote psychological resilience, and ensure stigma-free access to care for military and civilian populations alike.
“This is not just a military issue — it is a societal responsibility to care for those who defend our nation,” he emphasised.
