Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has urged Nigerians to acquire combat skills for the purpose of self-defence amid rising insecurity in the country.
Gen. Musa, who spoke on Thursday while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, likened learning martial arts such as Karate, Taekwondo, and Judo to other essential survival skills like swimming and driving.
Responding to a question on whether he would advise Nigerians to learn combat skills for self-defence, Gen. Musa said: “That one should be taken as learning driving, learning how to swim. Whether we have war or not, it is a survival instinct.
“In Europe, swimming is compulsory. Learning and teaching about security (is compulsory) because you have to learn what security is.”
He further emphasized that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) should incorporate training in unarmed combat for Nigerian graduates as a means of preparing them for day-to-day survival against criminals.
“That’s what the NYSC is supposed to do, but the NYSC has been watered down to three weeks.
“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 of human endeavour.
“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.”
The CDS emphasized that security is a collective responsibility, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and pay attention to their surroundings in order to identify strange and suspicious individuals.
