The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian military is prioritizing the mental resilience and emotional well-being of its personnel during and after operations.

Musa made this known on Friday in Sokoto at the opening of the Defence Headquarters’ 2025 First Bi-Annual Sensitisation Training on Stress Management, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Emotional Intelligence for personnel of Operation Fansan Yamma.

Represented by the Director of Innovation and Concept Development at Defence Headquarters, Warrah Idris, the CDS described the psychological well-being of troops in operations as essential to mission success.

He also emphasised that maintaining soldiers’ mental health was critical to ensuring optimal performance both individually and collectively, adding that the military would continue to prioritise initiatives in the area.

The CDS therefore warned that ignoring the issues could negatively affect performance, morale, unit cohesion, and post-service life.

Musa further noted that introducing structured mental health therapies had led to better operational outcomes and improved wellness among personnel.

He finally acknowledged the heavy psychological and emotional burdens placed on troops fighting insurgency, banditry, and other security threats.