Nigeria's Defence Minister Rules Out Mandatory Youth Military Training

On Friday in Abuja, Nigerian Minister of Defence Christoph Musa announced that the Federal Government has no plans to introduce mandatory military service for youths. During the presentation of a book titled "Serve the Nation," Musa explained that Nigeria's defense architecture is built around a professional military dedicated to protecting national sovereignty and assisting civil authorities in addressing internal security challenges.

He highlighted the importance of civic service programs and voluntary participation, rather than compulsory enlistment. Musa noted that while the government acknowledges the challenges posed by insurgency and terrorism, these cannot be addressed solely through manpower expansion.

He mentioned that the government remains open to scholarly research and public dialogue regarding national service. Moham Abubakar, the book's author, cited countries like Finland, Israel, South Korea, and Singapore as examples where mandatory military service has strengthened national security.

A survey conducted during the research revealed that 73.1% of respondents support compulsory military service, with 79.7% believing it would help address insecurity.