The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has called on Nigerians to acquire basic combat skills as part of essential survival training in today’s insecure world.
Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, General Musa likened self-defence training to other fundamental life skills such as driving and swimming, stressing that it should be considered a necessity rather than an option.
“Learning combat skills should be taken just like learning how to drive or swim. Whether there is w+r or not, it is a survival instinct. In Europe, swimming is compulsory. Security awareness should also be compulsory because everyone must understand what security means,” he said.
The defence chief further suggested that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme ought to play a greater role in preparing Nigerian graduates with un+rmed combat and self-defence techniques.
“That is what the NYSC was originally designed to do, but unfortunately, it has been reduced to just three weeks. We need to restore its purpose by teaching vital survival skills such as unarmed combat, swimming, driving, and basic security awareness,” he explained.
General Musa warned that the world has become increasingly d@ngerous, with individuals who deliberately cause h+rm, making self-defence and vigilance a national priority.
He urged Nigerians to take personal security seriously and remain situationally aware in their communities in order to identify and report suspicious activities.
“Security is everybody’s business. Self-defence is very important because it prepares you for the unexpected. We cannot afford to take these things for granted,” he added.
