President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the sudden resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar earlier on Monday.
The nomination was conveyed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio through an official communication from the Presidency, in which Tinubu described Musa as an accomplished and highly experienced military leader capable of strengthening Nigeria’s defence and security architecture.
General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, previously served as the Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 to October 2025. His distinguished service has earned him several recognitions, including the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He later gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant the same year, Musa rose steadily through the ranks, holding several strategic positions.
They include General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations at Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director of Operational Requirements in the Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative on the Training Team at the Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
His leadership profile expanded in 2019 when he became Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations at the Infantry Centre and Corps. He later commanded Sector 3 under Operation Lafiya Dole and led Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Nigeria’s top counterterrorism operation in the Northeast. He subsequently headed the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence that General Musa would provide strong, strategic leadership at the Ministry of Defence and reinforce ongoing national security reforms.
