President Bola Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The nomination was sent in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, naming Musa as the replacement for Mohammed Badaru, who resigned on Monday due to health reasons.
In the letter, the President expressed confidence in Musa’s ability to strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture and lead ongoing security reforms. His nomination was also confirmed in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated military officer and recipient of the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed both primary and secondary school there before attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1991, Musa has held several key positions in the Nigerian Army, including:
General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations, HQ 81 Division
Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion
Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans
Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps
He also served in major operations, including:
Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Infantry Centre & Corps (2019)
Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole
Commander, Sector 3, Multinational Joint Task Force, Lake Chad Region
Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai (2021)
He later became Commander of the Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
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Badaru, who had held the defence portfolio since August 2023, resigned due to health challenges. President Tinubu accepted his resignation and acknowledged his service to the nation.
The President is expected to formally notify the Senate of Musa’s nomination as Badaru’s successor within the week.
