President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday. The nomination, formally communicated to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, comes amid rising security challenges across the country.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the nomination in a statement on Tuesday.
General Musa, 58, a retired Chief of Defence Staff, served as the nation’s top military officer from 2023 until October 2025. He is a decorated soldier, having won the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012, and is widely regarded as a highly experienced military strategist.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education locally before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduation, beginning a career that has spanned more than three decades.
Throughout his service, Musa has held a number of critical positions, including General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division, Commanding Officer of 73 Battalion, Assistant Director of Operational Requirements in the Department of Army Policy and Plans, and Infantry Representative on the Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, Musa was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations at the Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander of Sector 3 for Operation Lafiya Dole, and Commander of Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region. He subsequently served as Theatre Commander for Operation Hadin Kai in 2021 before being promoted to Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps and later Chief of Defence Staff.
President Tinubu, in his letter to the Senate, expressed confidence that Musa possesses the competence and leadership required to guide the Ministry of Defence, strengthen Nigeria’s security structures, and tackle ongoing insurgency, banditry, and other security threats.
Musa’s nomination now awaits confirmation by the Senate. Political and security analysts have welcomed the move, noting that his extensive operational experience and familiarity with both national and regional security challenges make him a suitable candidate to address Nigeria’s pressing defence needs.
Onanuga confirmed the resignation of Badaru and Musa’s nomination, describing the appointment as a strategic step to reinforce the country’s security architecture.
Observers say the appointment signals the administration’s intention to leverage proven military expertise to enhance national security, particularly as Nigeria continues to face heightened threats across multiple fronts.
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