Tinubu nominates General Christopher Musa as new Defence Minister

Abdullateef Fowewe

President Bola Tinubu has officially nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as the new Minister of Defence, succeeding Badaru Abubakar who resigned on Monday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga in a statement on Tuesday.

In a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed the nomination, expressing confidence in General Musa’s leadership.

“I am confident that General Musa will lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture,” the letter stated.

General Musa, aged 58, is a highly distinguished soldier with an impressive military career spanning over three decades.

He served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025 and was the recipient of the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa completed his early education locally before enrolling at the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986, graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant the same year.

His extensive career includes key roles such as Commanding Officer of the 73 Battalion, Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and Operations at the Infantry Centre, and Commander of critical operations including Operation Lafiya Dole and Operation Hadin Kai. Notably, he also commanded Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.

General Musa’s nomination marks a strategic move to reinforce Nigeria’s defence capabilities amidst ongoing security challenges.