Mental Examination for Security Personnel

The security operatives of any nation is a symbol of hope and pride at any point in time.

They are to protect the territorial integrity of the nation, maintain peaceful co-existence and protect the citizens in all ramifications. 

Sadly, the country is inundated with human rights abuses and brutality of citizens by security forces who are paid with taxpayer’s money to protect them.

The list of abuses of citizens by security operatives are endless ranging from physical assault to killing.

The country has lost a number of civilians while others have been maimed or brutalized by the police and other security agents.

In April this year, an NSCDC officer in Gombe, ASC Adamu Abubakar, allegedly drove his car into a procession of boys’ brigade members, killing nine and leaving many others wounded.

To check future malpractice by NSCDC personnel, the Commandant General, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu in April gave directive for psychological assessment test of all personnel of the corps.

The psychological screening is expected to be conducted by a team of experts from the behavioural forensic unit of the corps headed by a forensic psychologist.

The screening will also identify bahavioural tendencies and competencies for professional success, understand individual personnel’s symptoms in the context of overall functioning and identify areas of psycho-social needs for appropriate intervention programme.

Following the directive of the NSCDC’s Commandant General, about two thousand nine hundred personnel of the corps have undergone psychological assessment test.

Commenting in a sensitization manual released by the behavioural forensic unit, the leader of the team, DSC Tersoo Shaapera explained that the goal of the exercise is to establish forensic psychological database for the corps.

DSC Shaapera noted that it was the first time such screening would be carried out in the corps and it would be performed periodically on the personnel to ascertain their psychological status.

As this is commendable, such must be made a regular exercise for all military and para military officers in the country for effectiveness and to ensure adequate protection for the citizenry.

 Titilayo Kupoliyi