Breaking:Tinubu Nominates Former Defence Chief, General Musa, as New Minister of Defence
In a significant cabinet reshuffle, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated the immediate-past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), as the new Minister of Defence.
The nomination was formally communicated to the Senate in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio. General Musa is poised to succeed Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned from the position on Monday.
The 58-year-old retired General, who just marked his birthday on December 25, is a highly decorated officer with a storied 34-year military career. He served as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff from June 2023 until October 2025 and is a recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering (2012).
A native of Sokoto State, General Musa was born in 1967. He attended the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army in 1991. His operational career includes commanding pivotal units in Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations. He served as the Theatre Commander of the former Operation Hadin Kai in the Northeast and was Commander of Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed strong confidence in the nominee’s capacity to lead the Ministry of Defence. The President stated that General Musa’s vast experience and proven leadership would be instrumental in further strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
The nomination now awaits screening and confirmation by the Senate. If confirmed, General Musa will bring his extensive frontline military and strategic experience to the helm of the nation’s defence administration.
