President Bola Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as the new Minister of Defence, sending a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio announcing him as the replacement for Mohammed Badaru, who resigned on Monday citing health reasons.
According to a statement by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu expressed confidence in Musa’s ability to strengthen Nigeria’s security framework, highlighting Musa’s distinguished career, including his service as CDS from 2023 to October 2025, his 2012 Colin Powell Award for Soldiering, and his extensive operational and command roles.
The statement also detailed Musa’s education and military progression, noting that he was commissioned in 1991 and later served in several key positions such as Commander, Sector 3 Operation Lafiya Dole; Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force; and Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, before becoming CDS in 2023.