President Bola Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff, as the new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. The nomination was communicated in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
General Musa, 58, has had a distinguished military career since his commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in 1991. He was awarded the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012 and has held various significant positions within the Nigerian Army, including Commanding Officer of the 73 Battalion and Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai.
Musa’s tenure as Chief of Defence Staff lasted from 2023 to October 2025. His extensive experience includes roles such as Deputy Chief of Staff for Training/Operations and Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.
In the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and enhance Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly amidst ongoing concerns over national security.
