The Defence and Police Officers Wives’ Association (DEPOWA) has raised the alarm over the rising cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among personnel of the armed forces, which it said was becoming a major issue for their wives.
Its president, Mrs. Anwuli Irabor, told the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, that officers’ wives continued to complain of some distinct behavioural traits in their husbands deployed to the various theatres of operation when they returned home.
She said: “DEPOWA hopes to collaborate with the Chief of Defence Staff and all the service chiefs to establish a PTSD diagnostic and rehabilitation centre to effectively map, identify and refer health challenges experienced by officers and members of our households to appropriate channels. The facility, when fully in place, will also serve as a repository for future research on health challenges in the military, to provide better solutions and support.
“The majority of us wives can attest to the distinct behavioural traits such as nightmares, anxiety, insomnia, bursts of anger, etcetera, suffered by our husbands, which were not synonymous with their character before deployment to conflict zones. This has heightened in the last decade, with a continuous flow of officers in and out of the various theatres of operation to curb the insecurity crisis, a challenge, which we understand.
“As a women-centred organisation, indeed our priority is our women. But we cannot only focus on the women’s welfare, if they are experiencing challenges directly linked to their husbands’ welfare and emotional health. This is, therefore, an area where we believe that uniting our voices and collaboration is required to create the solution. I was pleased to see that, as the COAS, you have begun a campaign on sensitising the military on PTSD, and I believe there is no better time to prepare the next step, which is treatment.
“DEPOWA intends through collaboration with the COAS to provide solutions through the Root Cause Analysis. We desire to have a re-integration structure for our officers and husbands to ensure that they return to us in good health and total wellness.
“I have proposed the establishment of a PTSD rehabilitation support centre to evaluate, counsel and provide adequate support to officers and, by extension, their wives, before re-integration from the North-East and other operational postings.
“The armed forces currently have a good number of hospital facilities across military formations in the nation. However, our facilities do not provide thorough diagnostics services to tackle some of these emerging challenges relating to mental health captured in the 2015 United Nations SDG Goal 3, a requirement for national development in the 15-year period.
“To this end, DEPOWA hopes to collaborate with the Chief of Defence Staff and all the service chiefs to establish a PTSD diagnostic and rehabilitation centre to effectively map, identify and refer health challenges experienced by officers and members of their households to appropriate channels. This facility will also serve as a repository for future research on health challenges in the military to provide better solutions and support.”
Gen. Yahaya promised to collaborate with DEPOWA to find solutions to PTSD among military personnel.
…Trains, empowers 63 widows of slain soldiers, others
The Defence and Police Officers Wives’ Association (DEPOWA) has trained 63 widows of soldiers killed in the counter-insurgency war and vulnerable barracks youths in blue-collar skills. They were training in hotel and catering management, fashion designing, computer studies, cosmetology and hair dressing.
They were also empowered with starter packs, comprising sewing machines, catering equipment, computers and hair dryers, among others, and cash to enable them get shops to start their business.
At the graduation held at the DEPOWA secretariat, Abuja, wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs. Anwuli Irabor, said: “We have lost gallant men, fathers, brothers, who, in the course of duty, have left families behind all over our barracks.
“DEPOWA has taken it as a challenge to train and empower the widows with different skills and training, thereby giving them a trade to carry on the good work left behind by their breadwinners.
“Today, we are graduating a diverse group of women who have experienced real pain and have come out stronger. The life of a loved one cut short in honourable service to the nation can never be erased from memory.
“These are women that have risen to the duty of training their children, fending for households and supporting extended families. They have jumped through hoops, bent backwards and gone the extra mile to be here and at this time, truly, it has not been easy getting to this point.”
She expressed the hope that the skills they have acquired would go a long way to improve their financial status, having lost their breadwinners, and contribute their quota to the society.
“It is also the expectation for a brighter and better future, a source of financial liberation and opportunity for you to equally contribute your quota to the society with dignity of labour. Yes, this day signifies all this and much more for you and your families.
“If you take these skills home and bury them or get carried away by the demands of life, they will remain the symbol of hope that was never achieved.”
The DEPOWA president urged them to take advantage of the starter packs and the cash: “You must make hay while the sun shines. You must take advantage of the freshness of these skills in your memory.
“You should also desire and begin to build, save and invest. It takes saving N500 a day to save N182,500 a year. Those who will excel are the ones that are ready to work hard, save money and re-invest in their businesses.
“You have been trained not only in skills but how to manage a business, do not let it go to waste. We have also given you the advantage by providing starter kits, one-year rent and stipends all through the duration of your training. You must work hard for that advantage to yield profit.
“I urge you to always look for positive opportunities to promote, market and build your business. Some of you have learnt skills that complement each other, look into joint ventures where you utilise each other’s strengths for customer retention. By God’s grace, the works of your hands will reap great rewards.”
GOC tasks officers, soldiers on peace
General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Ikeja, Lagos, Major General Umaru Musa, has pledged to ensure peace reigns in Lagos and Ogun states, which are the division’s area of responsibility. He spoke while taking over the reins in Lagos from Major General Lawrence Fejokwu.
He said, “I am aware that Lagos State is peaceful for now. I am prepared to ensure that this peace is improved upon and continued.”
Umaru, former director, Manpower and Planning, Army Headquarters, urged personnel to remain steadfast, dedicated and committed in the discharge of their duties. He said he would work in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Faruk Yahaya, to have a professional army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defence of the country.
NAPTIP solicits army’s support to curb human trafficking, organ harvesting
Director-general, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dr. Fatima Waziri Azi, has appealed to the Nigerian Army to support the agency in its fight against human trafficking and organ harvesting.
She also alerted the Nigerian Army to the new trend of trafficking in persons to foreign countries for the purpose of removing their organs, particularly kidneys, which she said sells for as high as $250,000 in Europe, Asia and India.
She listed the areas the agency would be needing assistance to include security, investigation, logistics, intelligence gathering, training and capacity-building for its investigation officers, and equipment.
The NAPTIP boss, who made this known when she visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, in Abuja, said: “There is a global demand for kidney organs, particularly following increase in cases of such organ failure among those that can afford transplant.
“The cartels involved in human trafficking will come and deceive young people, including girls, and tell them there are willing buyers for people who want to embark on kidney donation, which, on its own, is not criminal.
“But after opening up the unsuspecting victim and removing the kidney, they proceed to remove other organs, leading to calamities. The agency has recorded 500 convictions since its establishment. We rely on Department of State Services (DSS) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to track officers, which takes a lot of time.
“Over the years, NAPTIP has had a fantastic relationship in the areas of joint intelligence and operations. In 2021, we arrested a soldier who was involved in child trafficking in one of your barracks here in Abuja. This was made possible because of the support of the army. The case is in court.”
Responding, COAS said: “It is amazing to hear that over 20,000 girls are in Mali.
Some times, these are the routes they pass through to get to their destinations and they get trapped. These young people are being brain washed with foreign travel and they think it is rosy but they end up in bondage because of payment conditions.
“Among many things that is essential to tackle this problem is sensitisation between NAPTIP and religious leaders in churches and mosques. The people perpetrating these crimes are not from heaven.
They are in our society. We have problems. No doubt about it but we also have many opportunities.
“For training, there is no problem. Let us know the areas we will be willing to support. In intelligence gathering and training, we are willing to collaborate. Our cyber security school is available to train your personnel if there are slots.”
He urged NAPTIP to also liaise with other stakeholders including the police, the NSCDC and reach out more to foreign agencies particularly human rights bodies “because trafficking in humans, holding them in bondage and removing their organs are all human rights violations.”
Nigerian Army officers honoured in Liberia
Liberia’s President, Dr. George Manneh Weah, has conferred the award of “Distinguished Service Order of the Republic of Liberia” on some senior officers of the Nigerian Army in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the growth and development of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).
He made the presentation during the 65th Armed Forces of Liberia Day celebration held at the Barclay Training Centre, Camp Johnson Road, Monrovia, Liberia.
Director, Nigerian Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said, at every celebration of the Armed Forces of Liberia Day, government recognizes and awards the Distinguished Service Order to individuals whose contributions have significantly impacted on the growth and development of the Armed Forces of Liberia, the nation and humanity.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia, it is pleasing to duly recognise and congratulate this year’s Distinguished Service Order Award recipients. The award is in recognition of their service to Liberia, which has brought honour upon these gentlemen officers,” he said.