Tinubu Nominates Ex CDS Gen Christopher Musa as New Defence Minister
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has put forward the name of retired Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for the position of Minister of Defence. The development reached the Senate on Tuesday, arriving with a tone of urgency after Mohammed Badaru Abubakar stepped down, citing health concerns that had quietly intensified in recent weeks. The nomination places a familiar figure back at the centre of Nigeria’s security structure. Musa, who will mark his fifty eighth birthday on Christmas Day, built his career as an infantry commander with a reputation for calm focus in difficult theatres. His service record stretches from leading the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps to directing Operation Hadin Kai at a time when the northeast faced unrelenting threats. His stint as Chief of Defence Staff, from 2023 until October 2025, further cemented his standing within defence circles. He is also remembered for receiving the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012, a recognition that became a quiet footnote in his long operational journey. The presidency stated that Musa’s background positions him to take charge of the Defence Ministry at a moment when the government seeks to steady its security approach. The message carried a sense of measured expectation, as if the administration were handing him a complex dossier and watching closely to see how he steers the next phase of national defence. His confirmation now rests with the Senate, where the matter is expected to draw close attention in the coming hours, leaving the political corridors waiting for the next movement in this unfolding transition.
| 2025-12-02 19:52:55