{
  "id": 9381705,
  "title": "Defence Minister: Every Nigerian should undergo Military Training",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/defence-minister-every-nigerian-should-undergo-military-training",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T15:55:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/defence-minister-every-nigerian-should-undergo-military-training/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gen. Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff and current Minister of Defence, has proposed mandatory military training for every Nigerian citizen. In an appearance on the African Leadership Podcast, Musa argued that such training would provide citizens with a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made by soldiers. He outlined the physical and mental challenges that soldiers face, such as hunger, exhaustion, lack of sleep and long treks through difficult terrain. According to Musa, military service demands personal sacrifices, including putting one's life at risk. He urged Nigerians to consider the human cost of military operations when judging the performance of security personnel. Musa emphasized that soldiers are also members of families who endure the hardships of deployment, often leaving loved ones behind. The minister's proposal comes as Nigeria grapples with border-security challenges, which he attributed in part to regional developments in the Sahel following the withdrawal of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali from ECOWAS. Nigeria is responding to these challenges by strengthening security cooperation with neighboring countries, such as Cameroon.",
  "summary": "Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has proposed mandatory military training for Nigerians. He said exposure to the demands of military service would give citizens a better appreciation of the sacrifices made by troops. Musa made the proposal during an appearance on the African Leadership Podcast with Ken Giami, released on Monday. He said […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "Defence Minister proposes compulsory military training for Nigerians",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/defence-minister-proposes-compulsory-military-training-for-nigerians",
        "published": "2026-09-23T12:22:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Every Nigerian should be able to undergo military training – Defence minister",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/every-nigerian-should-be-able-to-undergo-military-training-defence",
        "published": "2026-09-23T15:14:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Chronicle Ghana",
        "title": "Defence Minister proposes compulsory military training for Nigerians",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/defence-minister-proposes-compulsory-military-training-for-nigerians",
        "published": "2026-09-24T06:29:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}