The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, has sought professional advice from a former Head of State to effectively steer the Ministry of Defence. In a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Victoria Agba-Attah, it was revealed that the Minister paid a courtesy visit to General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who served as the Military Head of State from 1998 to 1999, as well as General Martin Luther Agwai, a former Chief of Defence Staff.

During the visit, Alhaji Badaru emphasized the importance of consulting and tapping into the wealth of knowledge possessed by these respected Nigerian leaders in order to tackle the current security challenges facing the nation. He expressed his commitment to engaging with elders and former leaders to find effective solutions.

The Defence Minister also commended General Abdulsalam Abubakar for his significant efforts as the head of ECOWAS special envoy to Niger Republic, working tirelessly to restore peace and resolve the political impasse in the country. General Abubakar is renowned as both an elder statesman and a peace Ambassador for ECOWAS and the United Nations.

General Martin Luther Agwai, who has served as the Commander of the combined United Nations-African Union Peacekeeping Force in Darfur, as well as Nigeria’s Chief of Staff and Chief of Defence Staff, was also present during the meeting.

The former Nigerian leaders praised President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Alhaji Badaru as the Minister of Defence, acknowledging his outstanding accomplishments. They conveyed their well wishes for his successful tenure in the position.