President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
The President communicated the nomination in a formal letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, seeking the upper chamber’s confirmation of General Musa as the new head of the Defence Ministry. In the letter, President Tinubu expressed strong confidence in the retired general’s capacity to reinforce the country’s defence structure and advance ongoing reforms in the security sector.
General Musa, who will turn 58 on December 25, is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most experienced and battle-tested military officers. He served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025 and is a recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering, which he won in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa attended both primary and secondary schools in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. After completing his studies there in 1986, he gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
He was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991, marking the beginning of a distinguished career that has spanned more than three decades. Over the years, General Musa held several key appointments, including General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations, at Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements in the Department of Army Policy and Plans; as well as Infantry Representative and Training Team Member at Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
His rise through the ranks accelerated further between 2019 and 2021, when he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations, at the Infantry Centre and Corps Headquarters, and later as Commander, Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole. He also commanded the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad region at the peak of counterinsurgency operations.
In 2021, General Musa was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s main counter-terrorism operation in the North-East. He subsequently moved on to become Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
The President’s latest nomination signals his intention to bring experienced military leadership into the Ministry of Defence at a time when Nigeria continues to confront multiple security challenges.
The Senate is expected to consider and announce a confirmation date for General Musa’s screening in the coming days.
