In a major shake-up at the Ministry of Defence, former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, is set to replace Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar as Nigeria’s Defence Minister, sources close to the presidency have confirmed.
The development follows Badaru Abubakar’s resignation on Monday night, citing health reasons. The announcement was confirmed in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy. “President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation,” the statement read.
General Musa, who retired from active military service in October after being relieved of his duties as Chief of Defence Staff, met with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Monday evening.
This marked his first public engagement with the President since his retirement.
According to government sources, during the meeting, President Tinubu informed Musa that he would succeed Badaru Abubakar as Defence Minister.
Badaru Abubakar, 63, served as Jigawa State Governor for two terms between 2015 and 2023 before his ministerial appointment on August 21, 2023. His resignation comes at a critical time, following President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, a move aimed at addressing rising security challenges across the country.
The presidency is expected to formally notify the Senate of Badaru Abubakar’s successor later this week. Analysts say the appointment of General Musa signals a renewed focus on strengthening Nigeria’s defence architecture amid heightened security concerns.
