The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has advised Nigerians to learn combat skills to protect themselves in the face of danger.

The defence chief stated this as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.

He likened the acquisition of martial arts like Karate, Taekwondo, and Judo to driving, swimming and other survival skills.

Asked whether he would advise Nigerians to learn combat skills for self-defence, General 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.”

General Musa said the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) ought to train Nigerian graduates on unarmed combat skills for day-to-day survival against dark-hearted men.

He said, “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 for human endeavours.

“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.”

General Musa said security is the business of all Nigerians, even as he urged citizens to be situationally aware of their surroundings to fish out strange and suspicious faces.