President Bola Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
The nomination was formally transmitted to Senate President Godswill Akpabio in a letter from the President, who described Musa as a seasoned military leader capable of strengthening the country’s security framework.
General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is one of Nigeria’s most decorated military officers.
He served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 to October 2025 and was the recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria.
He proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree, after which he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
Over his 34-year military career, Musa held several strategic positions, including General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations, HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; and Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Army Policy and Plans.
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He also played significant roles in Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations. In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations, Infantry Corps Headquarters; Commander, Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole; and later Commander, Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.
His leadership in combat theatres culminated in his appointment in 2021 as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Nigeria’s flagship counterinsurgency campaign.
He later became Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, before President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
According to a statement issued by the Special adviser to the President on information and strategy Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday, The President expressed confidence that General Musa’s appointment would bring renewed vigour to Nigeria’s defence operations and consolidate ongoing reforms in the security sector.
The nomination is expected to be reviewed by the Senate in the coming days.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
