President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, setting a seasoned commander back on the nation’s security frontlines.
The nomination arrived at the Senate on Tuesday through a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, later confirmed by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga. General Musa is poised to succeed Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday due to health concerns.
Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, carries a storied military career across more than three decades. Admired as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished infantry officers, he previously served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 to October 2025 and received the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, he attended local schools before enrolling at the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria, and later the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986. He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant the same year.
His operational journey spans major combat and strategic postings. He served as General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations, Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director of Operational Requirements, Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative on the Armour Corps Training Team.
From 2019, he advanced through key formations, including Deputy Chief of Staff (Training and Operations) at the Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin. In 2021, he became Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, leading the Northeast counterterrorism campaign, before heading the Infantry Corps and later assuming the role of CDS in 2023.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu said Musa’s operational depth and leadership acumen make him the right choice to steer the Defence Ministry as Nigeria accelerates efforts to modernize its security architecture.
Senate screening of the nominee is expected to begin in the coming days.
