NARC SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOWS AND SUBJECT EXPERTS MAKE PRESENTATIONS

By: Michael Mike

The Wednesday 30 October 2024, edition of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Weekly Subject Experts’ Presentation was held at Hall C, TY Buratai Block, Abuja. The only presentation for the day was made by the Subject Experts on Middle East/Turkey.

The only presentation for the day was made by Brig Gen S Musa subject expert on Middle East/Turkey who focused his presentation on, Israeli Soldiers Commit Suicide after Seeing Horrors the World Can Never Truly Comprehend. Israeli soldiers returning from Gaza are reporting severe psychological trauma, with some taking their own lives after witnessing what they describe as horrors that the outside world can never truly comprehend. Their harrowing accounts offer a glimpse into the brutal reality of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza and the mental toll that the violence being perpetrated against Palestinians is having on soldiers serving on the front lines.

In testimonies to CNN, soldiers returning from Gaza revealed the horror of Israel’s operations. They testified that troops had to “run over” dead or living Palestinians “in the hundreds.” They reporting being unable to eat meat following deployment, saying that the sight of it triggers memories of the gruesome scenes witnessed in Gaza. “When you see a lot of meat outside, and blood… both ours and theirs, then it really affects you when you eat,” one soldier told CNN. Eliran Mizrahi, a 40-year-old reservist, is one of a number of soldiers who committed suicide after returning from Gaza. D-9 bulldozer, a 62-ton armoured vehicle designed to withstand explosives and bullets. Guy Zaken, Mizrahi’s friend and co-driver of the bulldozer, provided some insight into their experience in Gaza. “We saw very, very, very difficult things,” Zaken told CNN. “Things that are difficult to accept.” Before taking his own life, Mizrahi struggled with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, including bouts of anger, sweating, insomnia and social withdrawal. The occupation army is said to be grappling with an unprecedented mental health crisis within its ranks.

In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Brig Gen S Musa noted that, In Nigeria for instance, our national experiences of complex and consummate security challenges and the long/overstayed involvement of military in quelling BHTsm and armed banditry among other challenges have led to an increasing cases of PTSD. Reportedly, 13.4% of Nigerian population experience PTSD (WHO, 2019), while 40.5% of BH affected individuals in the North East Nigeria experience PTSD (UNICEF, 2019), at the same time 25.9% of IDPs in the North East region experience PTSD (IOM, 2020). Militarily, some specific cases of PTSD are varied and wide spread across the globe, for example – In 2013, a US army veteran killed 3 people and injured 16 others at Fort Hood.

In 2014, a Canadian soldier with PTSD killed his family and then himself. In Nigeria, in 2017, a soldier with PTSD killed his colleague and injured 2 others in Borno state. In 2020, a Nigerian army major with PTSD was arrested for shooting and killing his Commanding Officer in Abuja. Recently, a naval personnel at FOB DANSADAU, on OP FANSAN YAMMA killed 1 personnel and injured 2 others in questionable circumstances (DHQ, DMO Centre, 24 Oct 24). These are in addition to growing incidences of PTSD-induced symptoms of mental disorder involving many military personnel in various fmns and units across the AFN. Therefore, because of its serious impacts to national security and overall national wellbeing of Nigeria, – ‘politicizing’ – securitizing or prioritizing PTSD is crucial in addressing the increasing menaces of PTSD. It is also crucial to ensuring operational effectiveness, promoting societal wellbeing and maintaining national security among other concerning that interests.

He recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should develop/review/enhance policies and guidelines for PTSD management and also consider PTSD as a priority in its national security permutations.

NARC SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOWS AND SUBJECT EXPERTS MAKE PRESENTATIONS