President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The nomination follows the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar earlier on Monday.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu expressed confidence that General Musa’s long-standing experience in military leadership will strengthen the nation’s security architecture and enhance ongoing defence reforms.
General Musa, born in Sokoto in 1967, began his education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria.
He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in 1991.
The retired general has held several strategic command and staff positions within the Nigerian Army, including General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations, at Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; and Infantry Representative at the Army Armour Corps.
He also played key roles in counter-terrorism and regional security operations, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole; and later Commander, Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
In 2021, he became Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai and subsequently headed the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. President Tinubu first appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
General Musa, a recipient of multiple honours including the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012, is now expected to bring his wealth of experience to the Defence Ministry as the country intensifies efforts to improve national security.