IGP Disu Inaugurates Mental Health Workshop For Police Officers

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has inaugurated a mental health awareness and coaching workshop for police personnel in Abuja to strengthen their emotional resilience, professional judgement and operational effectiveness.

In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, on Wednesday, the Nigeria Police Force said the workshop was coordinated by the Department of Training and Development in partnership with Awesome Valley Consult Ltd and the Directorate of Force Medical Services.

Disu, who was represented at the event by the Force Medical Director, AIG Nkechi Eze, outlined his policy direction on mental health coaching, emphasising early identification of mental health concerns, timely intervention and referral for professional care.

The IGP noted that the demanding nature of police work required practical coping skills and accessible support systems that would allow officers to seek assistance without fear of stigma.

He stressed that recognising signs of stress, burnout and emotional distress in oneself and colleagues was essential to maintaining a healthy workforce and ensuring professional service delivery.

The lead facilitator, Maimuna Ummi Abdullahi, popularly known as Coach Diddi, highlighted the importance of mental health coaching for officers routinely exposed to high-pressure and potentially traumatic situations.

Abdullahi, a Mental Health and Emotional Resilience Coach and Team Lead of Awesome Valley Consult Ltd, said coaching promotes self-awareness, stress management, emotional resilience, healthy coping strategies, early help-seeking and peer support.

She explained that “mental health coaching complements, rather than replaces, clinical assessment and treatment,” helping officers recognise when professional care is necessary.

More than 100 officers from the Counter Terrorism Unit, Police Mobile Force, Special Protection Unit, Directorate of Force Medical Services, Intelligence Response Team, Special Intervention Squad, Special Tactical Squad and police divisions within the Federal Capital Territory are participating in the workshop.

The statement quoted DIG Isyaku Mohammed as reaffirming the Department of Training and Development’s commitment to sustained, practical and needs-based training in collaboration with the Directorate of Force Medical Services.

He said the partnership would deepen mental health awareness and connect police personnel with appropriate support.

Disu reiterated that personnel welfare remained central to the Force’s commitment to professionalism and effective service delivery.

The IGP stressed that officers must be physically fit, mentally resilient and adequately supported to discharge their duties effectively.

He urged personnel to prioritise their mental health, seek assistance early and support colleagues experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties, while maintaining discipline, sound judgement and respect for the public.