Expert: Mental Health Support for Military, Paramilitary Personnel a Necessity

Linus Aleke in Abuja

A clinical psychologist, Dr Funke Olofin, has said that a mental health support system for military, paramilitary, and other security operatives is a necessity in Nigeria.

Dr Olofin made this assertion while delivering the lead paper at the ongoing Pre-Retirement Transition Readiness Workshop for personnel of the Armed Forces and other security agencies in Abuja.

Olofin, who is a Senior Lecturer at Baze University, Abuja, stated: “Globally, studies have shown that up to 60 per cent of retiring military and paramilitary personnel experience significant psychological distress within the first year after retirement.

In Nigeria, these figures may be even higher due to limited access to post-service mental health programmes. Many officers are expected to simply adjust, but adjustment without support is like asking a soldier to fight without ammunition. This is why mental health support must be seen not as a luxury, but as a necessity. Talking to a counsellor, psychologist, or peer group does not mean one is broken; it means one is wise enough to maintain their mental health arsenal.”

Stressing that emotional intelligence and mental health are inseparable, the resource person noted that transition stress can manifest in ways that often go unnoticed — such as irritability, sleep disturbances, loss of interest, or even physical symptoms like hypertension and fatigue.

Noting that these are not signs of weakness, Olofin emphasised that they are signals that the mind and body are adjusting to change.

She also stated that institutionalising compulsory rehabilitation and transition training, as the workshop seeks to achieve, is a bold and visionary move.

“Emotional readiness should be part of every officer’s training — not just before retirement, but throughout service life. Regular mental health assessments, stress management programmes, and resilience workshops should be embedded within the system,” she said.

The Workshop Coordinator, Transition Assistance Programme (TAP), Ijeoma Akwara, stated that the compulsory rehabilitation and transition assistance initiatives would help retiring senior officers plan their financial lives.

Welcoming participants to the workshop, Akwara said: “The workshop brings together a pilot group of senior officers to guide the development and validation of a national policy framework on transition assistance for retiring personnel. It provides a unique opportunity for participants to engage in practical discussions, share experiences, and shape a sustainable system that reflects global best practices by institutionalising a transition assistance programme in Nigeria. The insights and contributions from this pilot group will form the foundation for establishing a structured, unified, and effective national transition support policy for the Armed Forces, the Police, and the paramilitary. I encourage every participant to actively contribute, collaborate, and take ownership of this historic process.”

The theme of the workshop is, “Institutionalising Compulsory Rehabilitation and Unified Transition Assistance Training Programme for Retiring Senior Officers.”