…Defence Minister Says Experience Will Expose Citizens To Soldiers’ Hardship, Sacrifices
….‘You’ll Understand What It Means To Stay Hungry, Work Without Sleep’
Daud Olatunji
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has called for every Nigerian to undergo military training, saying such an experience would give citizens a deeper understanding of the demands and sacrifices involved in defending the country.
Musa made the call while speaking on the African Leadership Podcast with Ken Giami, where he discussed the challenges confronting Nigeria’s armed forces and the conditions under which military personnel operate.
The minister said military training would expose citizens to the physical and psychological demands of military service, including hunger, exhaustion, sleep deprivation and the need to continue working despite extreme fatigue.
According to him, such exposure would help Nigerians appreciate the endurance required of soldiers deployed in difficult and sometimes dangerous environments.
“Every Nigerian should be able to go through military training. It will give you a different perspective about life. You will now understand what it means to stay hungry and what it means to work in days without sleep,” Musa said.
He added that military training would demonstrate the level of endurance required of troops who are sometimes forced to cover long distances despite exhaustion.
“It will show you what endurance means when you walk kilometres and you are tired but you still need to keep on going.
“You have not eaten; you have not taken one because of the nature of the thing and because you are doing it to protect,” he said.
Musa said soldiers were putting their lives at risk to protect the lives and property of other Nigerians.
“And that’s exactly what the military men are doing, putting their lives at stake for their country to move around,” the minister stated.
The Defence Minister also appealed to Nigerians to show greater appreciation for military personnel, stressing that soldiers were also members of families who leave their loved ones behind while serving in challenging environments.
He urged citizens to consider the conditions under which troops operate when assessing the performance of the military.
“Everybody wants peace, and that is important, so we want them to understand soldiers are fathers, brothers and sisters of people.
“They’ve families they’ve left behind, staying in the weather, rain, dust, night or day, staying there to ensure the country is secured,” Musa said.
His comments come amid Nigeria’s continuing security challenges, including terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across parts of the country.
During the podcast, Musa also spoke about efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s counter-insurgency capabilities, including developing greater domestic capacity for the production of military equipment.
The minister further linked increased infiltration along some Nigerian borders to developments involving Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, which withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States.
He said Nigeria was strengthening bilateral security cooperation with neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, as part of efforts to improve border security and protect the country’s southern flank.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Musa’s call comes against the backdrop of continuing national debate over military preparedness, civic responsibility and the need for stronger public understanding of the demands placed on security personnel.
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