President Tinubu Nominates Former CDS, Christopher Musa Defence Minister

President Tinubu Nominates Former CDS, Christopher Musa Defence Minister

President Bola Tinubu has put forward former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.

The nomination was communicated in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, naming Musa as the replacement for Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down on Monday citing health concerns.

In the letter, Tinubu expressed confidence in Musa’s ability to steer the defence ministry and bolster the nation’s security architecture.

The appointment was further confirmed in a statement released by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

The statement added, “General Musa, 58, on December 25, is a distinguished soldier who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He won the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.

“Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.

“General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished career.

“His appointments include General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.

“In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.

“In 2021, General Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.”