Gdynia, Poland – As tension with Russia dey rise, Polish pipo don dey waka sharp sharp to military classes and gun ranges like say dem wan chop their destiny. Wetin happen? Na drone wahala wey happen for September when 21 drones fly enter dem sky, scatter PALAVA for airports and make jet pilots dey hustle. E be like say na im open eye for land like Ludmila Rafalska wey dey Sopot. Before now, she no dey think about self-defence, but now, she don decide to step up.
Ludmila join over 100 other newbies for training wey dem call ‘Train with the Army’ for naval base wey dey Gdynia. Soldiers carry dem, from teenagers to grandmas, teach dem how to handle guns, throw grenades and even how to choke person if e wan disturb dem. “E dey very important make I sabi these skills,” she talk as she dey head to canteen for the breakfast wey be military style of course. “Our safety dey important, so why we no go learn?”
Since Russia yan say dem wan capture Ukraine, everyday concern dey rise like ogbono soup wey no get end. Prime Minister Donald Tusk even talk say e be like we don reach the peak as far as danger dey concern since World War II. Na wetin make Polish army come swell up, now dey number three for NATO with 216,000 troops behind only America and Turkey. Plus, soon dem go begin spend 5% of their GDP for defence.
As the wahala dey increase, gun ownership don rise like 20 naira note for market. “Five years ago, na only 10,000 new gun registrations wey we see for one year. Now e don reach almost 50,000!” Na so Andrzej Gross wey run Krav Maga courses for Warsaw talk. Dem dey teach survival skills, how to shoot, and how to defend yourself. Prepare for anything! Monika Strempel, one young data engineer, join Krav Maga just to fit and stay safe, but with the drone palava, she wan learn more o.
People don change their mindsets about survival since the war begin. Piotr Czuryllo wey sabi survival skills sweet like sugar don start to run courses for families, corporate people, and even local government workers. Everybody dey rush am for ‘how to survive’ teachings. “E no be beans. People dey wan prepare to dey ready and no just dey fear,” he talk.
The government no dey sleep, too. Tusk don talk say e wan create 500,000 reserve force and this year alone more than 40,000 people go join military training. Even every household don collect Safety Handbook wey go teach wetin to do when disaster land – from natural disaster to chemical attack. They go even get tips on how to pack evacuation backpacks! Who knows when run go start?
Marcin Fedyna, wey run PM Shooter shooting range, dey suffer from too many pipo wey wan enter. On normal days na around 100 people dey come shoot small, but now e dey reach 1,000 for weekends! Business dey sweet! Dem go just pay $13 for fee plus ammo, then dey fit try their hand on over 400 different guns from handguns to AK-47. E dey even get Gatling gun and small cannon. E don big pass before o!
Magdalena Witczak join training just to feel how e be. Last month, she fire machine gun, not with live bullets but e be like say she dey prepare for battle. “Self-defence dey very important right now!” she talk. As the soldiers teach dem, reality dey hit dem like say dem dey for war movie. Poland dey enter new phase of training and readiness, e be like film wey don dey unfold! Hopefully, dem no go need to use all dis skills, but who no wan prepare for anything?
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