The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has proposed that every Nigerian should undergo military training to better understand the demands and sacrifices involved in protecting the country.

Musa made the proposal while speaking on the African Leadership Podcast hosted by Ken Giami, saying exposure to military training would give Nigerians a different perspective on life and help them appreciate the challenges faced by members of the armed forces.

The minister said such training would expose citizens to some of the physical and psychological demands associated with military service, including hunger, exhaustion, prolonged periods without sleep and physical strain.

“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,” he said.

Musa added: “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.”

The Defence Minister, who is a former Chief of Defence Staff, said Nigerians needed to better understand the sacrifices made by soldiers who put their lives at risk while carrying out operations to protect the country.

He likened the sacrifices of military personnel to the biblical principle of giving one’s life for another, stressing that soldiers operate in difficult environments and conditions in the course of their duties.

“And that’s exactly what the military men are doing, putting their lives at stake for their country to move around,” Musa said.

He appealed to Nigerians to understand that soldiers are members of families who leave their loved ones behind while serving the country.

Musa expressed concern over instances where members of the public insult military personnel or question the need for continued operations, stressing that soldiers also desire peace and are working towards securing the country.

“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,” he said.

The minister linked increased infiltration across Nigeria’s borders to the withdrawal of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He said Nigeria was strengthening bilateral relationships with neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, as part of efforts to improve security around the country’s southern borders.

Musa’s proposal comes amid ongoing efforts by the government and security agencies to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and improve public understanding of the role of the armed forces in combating insecurity.