President Tinubu Has Nominated General Christopher Musa To Take Over From Badaru Abubakar As Defence Minister
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the nomination of General Christopher Gwabin Musa to the Senate for confirmation as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
In his letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu described General Musa as a tested military leader whose depth of experience and record of service uniquely position him to strengthen the nation’s security architecture.
General Musa, 58, is a seasoned officer who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. His illustrious career has earned him national and international recognition, including the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his early education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled immediately at the Nigerian Defence Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991. That same year, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army—marking the beginning of a career defined by courage, discipline, and duty.
Over the years, General Musa has held a wide range of command, staff, and operational roles. His appointments include General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations, Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative on the Training Team at the Nigerian Army Armour Corps Headquarters.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and Operations at the Infantry Centre and Corps Headquarters, and subsequently as Commander of Sector 3 under Operation Lafiya Dole and the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region—key roles in Nigeria’s counterterrorism and regional security efforts.
General Musa was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai in 2021, later rising to command the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. In 2023, President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff, entrusting him with leadership of the nation’s Armed Forces.
With this new nomination, President Tinubu expressed confidence in General Musa’s ability to bring his wealth of experience to bear in steering the Ministry of Defence at a critical moment for Nigeria’s security landscape.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
December 2, 2025
