The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has inaugurated a mental health awareness and coaching workshop for officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Abuja to strengthen their emotional resilience, professional judgement and operational effectiveness.
The workshop, which commenced on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, is 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, said the initiative was designed to promote early identification of mental health concerns, timely intervention and appropriate referral for professional care.
According to him, the demanding nature of police work requires practical coping skills and accessible support systems that enable officers to seek help 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 effective professional service delivery.
The lead facilitator, Maimuna Ummi Abdullahi, popularly known as Coach Diddi, who is a mental health and emotional resilience coach and Team Lead of Awesome Valley Consult Ltd, highlighted the importance of coaching for officers regularly exposed to high-pressure and potentially traumatic situations.
Abdullahi explained that mental health coaching promotes self-awareness, stress management, emotional resilience, healthy coping strategies, early help-seeking and peer support.
She clarified that coaching complements, rather than replaces, clinical assessment and treatment, adding that it helps officers recognise when professional mental health care is necessary.
More than 100 officers drawn from the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Police Mobile Force (PMF), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Directorate of Force Medical Services, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Special Intervention Squad (SIS), Special Tactical Squad (STS) and police divisions within the Federal Capital Territory are participating in the workshop.
Senior officers in attendance included CP Aina Adesola, CP L. Ibrahim and CP M. Umar.
Also speaking, DIG Isyaku Mohammed, mni, reaffirmed 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 collaboration would deepen mental health awareness among police personnel and improve access to appropriate support services.
The Inspector-General of Police reiterated that personnel welfare remained central to the Force’s commitment to professionalism and effective service delivery.
He emphasised that officers must be physically fit, mentally resilient and adequately supported to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
Disu urged police personnel to prioritise their mental health, seek assistance early and support colleagues experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties.
He also charged them to uphold the highest standards of discipline, sound judgement and respect for members of the public.
