President Tinubu nominates former Defence Chief General Musa as new Defence Minister

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.) to serve as the new Minister of Defence, formalizing the appointment in a letter addressed to the Senate today, Tuesday, December 2.
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General Musa, who was the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), is to succeed Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday based on health grounds. The nomination came at the period President Tinubu declared a national security emergency to combat escalating insecurity across the country.
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The background of General Musa, who will be 59 years old this month, includes extensive command experience in counter-insurgency operations, particularly in the North-East.
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Musa served as the Chief of Defence Staff from his appointment by President Tinubu in June 2023 until a military reshuffle in October 2025.
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He previously served as the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region, placing him at the forefront of the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP. His past honours include winning the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012. He was Born in Sokoto in 1967, and is a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 38th Regular Course, graduating in 1991.
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The nomination was concluded less than 24 hours after the resignation of former Minister Badaru Abubakar, in order to facilitate the fight against insecurity and to strengthen national security. 
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President Tinubu, in the letter to the Senate, expressed confidence in the ability of General Musa to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security system.
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