THE Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has called on Nigerians to acquire basic combat and survival skills as part of personal safety and national security consciousness.
Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday monitored by News Point Nigeria, General Musa stressed that self-defence training is as essential as learning to drive or swim, given the growing threats to personal and collective safety across the country.
“That one should be taken as learning driving, learning how to swim. Whether we have war or not, it is a survival instinct,” the Defence Chief said.
“In Europe, swimming is compulsory. Learning and teaching about security is also compulsory because you have to learn what security is.”
General Musa suggested that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, which mobilises thousands of Nigerian graduates yearly, should be restructured to include compulsory training in unarmed combat and self-defence skills.
According to him, the programme has been “watered down” into a mere three-week exercise, instead of serving as a platform to equip Nigerian youths with crucial survival skills.
He emphasised the importance of teaching young people to defend themselves against “dark-hearted” individuals who prey on innocent citizens.
“I think it is important that we are able to give every Nigerian security awareness at whatever level. Self-defence is very important. Unarmed combat. Swimming. Driving. These are critical aspects for human endeavours.
These are things we should never take for granted because they prepare you for the future. The world we are in now is dangerous. We have individuals who don’t mean people well. They kill for whatever reason,” he said.
General Musa further urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and observant of their surroundings, noting that security is not the responsibility of government alone but of every citizen.
He warned that a lack of awareness makes individuals more vulnerable to attacks, stressing that situational alertness can help fish out suspicious characters in communities before they strike.
The Defence Chief’s remarks come amid rising security concerns in different parts of Nigeria, ranging from insurgency in the Northeast, banditry in the Northwest, to kidnapping and armed robbery across major cities.
His call reflects growing calls for citizens to play an active role in their own protection while supporting national security efforts.