Minister of Defence Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.) has called for every Nigerian to undergo military training, saying it would help citizens understand the sacrifices and challenges faced by soldiers.
Musa made the proposal while speaking on the African Leadership Podcast hosted by Ken Giami.
He said military training would expose Nigerians to hunger, exhaustion, physical strain, and sleeplessness, helping them understand the endurance required of military personnel.
“Every Nigerian should be able to go through military training. It will give you a different perspective about life,” Musa said.
The former Chief of Defence Staff said soldiers routinely endure difficult conditions and put their lives at risk to protect the country.
He also urged Nigerians to remember that military personnel have families and leave their loved ones behind while serving in difficult conditions.
Musa said soldiers also want peace and appealed to the public to understand the demands of their duties instead of insulting or dismissing them.
On Nigeria’s wider security challenges, the minister linked increased border infiltration to developments in the Sahel following Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali’s withdrawal from regional arrangements.
He said Nigeria was strengthening security cooperation with neighboring countries, including Cameroon, to improve border security. Nigeria and Cameroon signed a defence cooperation agreement in June covering areas including intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and joint military training.
