President Bola Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa (rtd), as Nigeria’s next Minister of Defence, just 24 hours after Mohammed Abubakar tendered his resignation.
The nomination was announced in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In a formal letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu urged lawmakers to confirm the retired military chief, describing him as “eminently qualified to strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture at a crucial moment.”
General Musa, who will turn 58 on December 25, served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished operational commanders and was honoured in 2012 with the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1986, graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant.
Musa’s military career spanned more than 30 years and included senior command and staff positions such as:
- General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations, 81 Division
- Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion
- Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Army Headquarters
- Infantry Representative, Nigerian Army Armour Corps
He also played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations at the Infantry Centre and Corps, and later commanded Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole as well as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad region.
In 2021, he became Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, before later serving as Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps and ultimately as Chief of Defence Staff.
President Tinubu said he is confident General Musa will bring “unwavering commitment and strategic insight” to the Defence Ministry, urging the Senate to give his nomination prompt consideration.
If confirmed, Musa will assume leadership of the ministry at a time of evolving national security challenges and heightened expectations for reforms within the armed forces.
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