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BREAKING: Tinubu Appoints General Christopher Musa as New Minister of Defence

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Retired General Christopher Gwabin Musa

BREAKING: Tinubu Appoints General Christopher Musa as New Minister of Defence

President Bola Tinubu has appointed retired General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, barely 24 hours after the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the appointment on Tuesday, noting that President Tinubu conveyed the nomination in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Badaru, 63, reportedly resigned on health grounds, though insiders suggest his exit may be linked to the recent surge in insecurity across the country.

General Musa, 58, previously served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025 and is widely regarded for his leadership in counterterrorism and joint military operations. He is also a recipient of the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering (2012).

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Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1986 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduating in 1991. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant the same year.

His distinguished military career includes key roles such as:
– General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations, HQ 81 Division
– Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion
– Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Army Policy and Plans
– Infantry Representative, Nigerian Army Armour Corps Training Team
– Deputy Chief of Staff (Training/Operations), Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps
– Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole
– Commander, Sector 3, Multinational Joint Task Force, Lake Chad
– Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai (2021)
– Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps (2022)
– Chief of Defence Staff (2023–2025)

President Tinubu stated that he has full confidence in General Musa’s capacity to lead the Ministry of Defence and strengthen the nation’s security architecture at a time of heightened threats.

The appointment signals a strategic shift in Nigeria’s defence leadership as the government intensifies efforts to tackle insecurity nationwide.