December 02, (THEWILL) — President Bola Tinubu has appointed the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The appointment was announced in a statement issued on December 2, 2025, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Musa replaces Senator Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu presented Musa for legislative confirmation, expressing confidence in his ability to strengthen Nigeria’s defence apparatus and advance ongoing security reforms.
Musa, who was honoured with a Pull-Out Parade at Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, on October 31, 2025, was born on December 25, 1967, in Sokoto State but hails from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He completed his primary and secondary education in Sokoto before enrolling at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1986.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry Corps on September 21, 1991, as part of the 38th Regular Course.
Throughout his career, Musa held several key command, operational, and training positions.
These include serving as General Staff Officer 1 (Training/Operations) at 81 Division Headquarters, Commanding Officer of the 73 Battalion, Assistant Director (Operational Requirements) in the Department of Army Policy and Plans, and Infantry Representative on the Nigerian Army Armour Corps Training Team.
He was central to Nigeria’s counterinsurgency operations, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff (Training/Operations) at the Infantry Centre and Corps in 2019.
He later commanded Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole and the Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, where he led major military operations against insurgent groups in the northeast.
He subsequently commanded the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.
General Musa’s nomination comes at a critical moment as Nigeria continues to grapple with complex security threats.
The Senate is expected to consider and confirm the appointment in the coming days.
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