A group known as Idimma Health Initiative has trained police officers in Kaduna State on psychological first aid to equip them with the skills to identify and respond to mental health-related issues, including suicide attempts.
Speaking during a two-day training workshop, Aisha Buba, Executive Director of the group , highlighted the role of police officers as first responders in crisis situations.
She emphasized the importance of the training, stating that trained police officers in mental health would be able to identify individuals who need mental health care more quickly and ensure they receive the necessary support before anything else.
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Buba pointed out that Nigeria was facing a shortage of mental health professionals, which is a major reason for training police officers.
“Because we do not have adequate psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals, we are training other stakeholders like police officers,” she said.
“We are here to train the police officers on psychological first aid, which essentially equips them with skills to identify mental health issues when they are called into crisis situations, enabling them to handle and respond to such cases better.
“Suicide is considered a criminal act in Nigeria. If someone is caught, they may face up to a one-year jail term. But if we collaborate with police officers to help them understand that suicide is a mental health crisis, not a crime, they are more likely to respond appropriately and provide the necessary support.”
“When crises occur, the first person typically called to the scene is a police officer. Even if the situation is medical or injury-related, the police are often the first to assess the situation before any further action is taken,” she explained.
Buba further stated that the training aims to empower police officers to provide basic mental health support, not from a specialized perspective, but enough to offer immediate assistance before individuals can access more specialized care.
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