President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
The President conveyed the nomination in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, urging the upper chamber to confirm the retired military chief as the new head of Nigeria’s Defence.
The President said General Musa’s vast operational experience and strategic leadership make him well-suited to strengthen the Ministry of Defence and advance Nigeria’s security architecture.
About General Musa
General Musa, who will turn 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated officer with more than three decades of distinguished service in the Nigerian Army.
He was appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023 and served until October 2025.
The former CDS won the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012, underscoring his reputation for professionalism and leadership.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon commissioning in 1991.
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1991, General Musa held several key appointments across the Nigerian Army.
His roles included General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations, HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative on the Training Team at the Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations, Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and later Commander, Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
By 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, after which he became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. His rise culminated in his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
Confidence Okwuchi