President Bola Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Musa, a former Chief of Defence Staff, to serve as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence following the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday. In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu requested the Senate’s confirmation of General Musa, emphasizing his extensive experience and distinguished record of service.
General Musa, 58, is a decorated officer who led the Nigerian Armed Forces as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He received the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012. Born in Sokoto in 1967, he completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant that same year.
Throughout his career, General Musa has held numerous command and operational roles, including General Staff Officer 1 in Training and Operations and Commander of the 73 Battalion. He has also served in strategic frontline positions such as Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and Operations at the Infantry Centre and Corps Headquarters, and Commander of Sector 3 in Operation Lafiya Dole. In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s major counter‑terrorism operation in the North‑East.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that General Musa’s operational expertise will further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and benefit the Ministry of Defence. The Senate is expected to consider the nomination in the coming days, a process that will be closely watched as the country seeks to address its complex security challenges and enhance its defence capabilities.
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