By John Umeh
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has moved to clear the air on recent remarks credited to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, concerning self-defence.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the military explained that General Musa’s comments were misinterpreted and never meant to suggest that Nigerians should carry arms.
According to Brig. Gen. Gusau, the CDS only encouraged citizens to cultivate basic self-defence and survival skills widely accepted across the world. These include sports and techniques such as wrestling, judo, boxing, swimming, running, climbing, and defensive driving — all of which can help individuals cope with everyday threats like street harassment, robbery, or phone snatching.
“The CDS is not calling on Nigerians to confront bandits or terrorists with guns. That is the job of the Armed Forces,” Gusau clarified in a BBC interview monitored in Kaduna.
“He is simply urging people to acquire skills that enhance resilience and personal safety. Carrying arms without authorisation remains illegal under Nigerian law, and anyone who does so will be prosecuted.”
The DHQ further noted that in many developed countries, self-defence training is mandatory in schools and viewed as a vital life skill. General Musa’s advice, it stressed, should be understood in that context — not as an invitation to vigilantism.
The CDS had earlier made his remarks during a televised interview, where he highlighted the need for Nigerians to be more prepared and resilient in the face of the country’s growing security challenges.
Nigeria has for years battled worsening insecurity, particularly in the North-West, North-East, and North-Central, where armed groups continue to kill, kidnap, and displace thousands despite ongoing military operations.
The Defence Headquarters said it issued the clarification to counter “wrong interpretations” of the CDS’s words, which had been wrongly taken by some as a call for civilians to arm themselves.
