Assessment of Mental Health Among Security Personnel in Selected Banks in Lagos State

Security personnel in commercial banking environments face unique psychosocial and occupational health stressors including threat exposure, shift work, and limited career development pathways. This study assessed the mental health status and its occupational determinants among security personnel in selected commercial banks in Lagos, South West Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 180 bank security officers using the General Health Questionnaire-28 and a structured occupational stress inventory. Results showed that 52.2 percent of respondents screened positive for psychological distress, with anxiety (44.4%) and depression (33.9%) being the most prevalent conditions. Night shift rotation, fear of armed robbery incidents, and poor employee welfare packages were the most commonly cited occupational stressors. Social support from supervisors and colleagues was identified as a significant protective factor against severe mental health outcomes. Only 12.8 percent of security personnel had ever accessed occupational mental health support services, and awareness of employee assistance programs was very low across all sampled banks. The study highlights a systemic neglect of security staff mental health in Nigeria's banking sector and recommends the introduction of structured psychological support services, regular mental health screenings, and occupational health training programs specifically tailored to the needs of non-professional security workers. Keywords: mental health, security personnel, banking sector, psychosocial stress, Lagos.