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Defence Ministry debunks viral reports claiming Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), is planning to resign from office.
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Minister’s media aide describes the reports as malicious fabrications designed to mislead the public and undermine confidence in government.
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The office says General Musa remains fully committed to implementing Nigeria’s defence strategy and advancing ongoing security operations.
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Nigerians and media organisations urged to ignore the false claims and verify information through official channels before publication.
July 21, (THEWILL) — The Federal Ministry of Defence has dismissed as “false, malicious and entirely fabricated” reports circulating on social media alleging that the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), is planning to resign from office.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, said the reports were the handiwork of mischief-makers seeking to misinform the public, insisting that there was no basis whatsoever for the claims.
According to her, the minister remains firmly in office and continues to discharge his responsibilities in line with President Bola Tinubu’s security agenda.
Ministry Debunks Viral Claims
Katung-Babatunde said the Office of the Minister had been inundated with enquiries following the circulation of the rumour across several online platforms, making it necessary to issue an official clarification.
“The attention of the Office of the Honourable Minister of Defence has been drawn to a malicious and entirely fabricated rumour circulating across various online and social media platforms alleging that the Honourable Minister, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), OFR, has expressed an intention to step down from his position,” the statement read.
Rejecting the claim, she said the report was nothing more than a calculated falsehood.
“We wish to state unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms that these rumours are absolute falsehoods borne out of complete mischief,” she added.
The ministry warned against attempts to create unnecessary anxiety through the spread of misinformation, stressing that false reports on matters relating to national leadership and security could erode public confidence and distract government institutions from their responsibilities.
Musa Remains Focused On National Security
Reaffirming the minister’s commitment to office, the statement said General Musa remains fully engaged in driving Nigeria’s defence and security policies and has no intention of relinquishing his responsibilities.
It stated that the minister continues to provide strategic leadership for the Armed Forces and other security institutions in support of the Federal Government’s efforts to combat terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, and other threats to national security.
“General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd) remains fully focused on his national security mandate, deeply committed to his duties, and completely dedicated to piloting the nation’s defence strategy, with results already being seen,” the statement said.
The ministry added that the Defence Minister remains resolute in supporting ongoing military reforms and strengthening inter-agency collaboration to improve national security across the country.
The ministry called on Nigerians to disregard the resignation rumour, describing it as fake news deliberately circulated to mislead the public.
It also urged journalists, bloggers, and social media users to exercise greater responsibility by verifying information with official sources before publication.
“The general public is hereby urged to completely disregard this fake news. We strongly advise media outlets and internet users to desist from spreading unverified information and seek clarifications from the office,” the statement added.
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