ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu is expected to nominate General Christopher Musa, the recently retired Chief of Defence Staff, as the new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of the incumbent, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
The move comes as Nigeria grapples with a declared national security emergency aimed at tackling widespread insecurity and violence across the country.
Musa met with President Tinubu on Monday evening at the Presidential Villa, their first public encounter since Musa’s retirement on Oct. 24, 2025. Sources suggest the former defence chief is Tinubu’s preferred candidate to immediately take over the critical security post.
The expected nomination follows the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, 63, who stepped down on Dec. 1, 2025, citing health reasons. Abubakar had served as the Minister of Defence since Aug. 21, 2023.
If confirmed by the Senate, Musa’s appointment would be seen as a significant move in reinforcing Nigeria’s security architecture. His extensive experience includes his immediate past role as Chief of Defence Staff and his former command of counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.
President Tinubu is anticipated to forward Musa’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation later this week.
