President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Musa, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
This emerged from an official letter sent to the Senate and read on the floor of the red chamber today, Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
This is coming barely 24 hours after Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar resigned as the Minister of Defence.
General Christopher Musa, 57, turning 58 on December 25, is highly regarded as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished senior officers of his generation.
He had his primary and secondary education in his home state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria, where he obtained his Advanced Level certificate in 1986.
Musa gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) that same year, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army in 1991.
He has served in various roles across the Army, Joint Task Forces, and multinational operations.
Some of his past appointments include General Staff Officer Grade 1 (Training and Operations), Headquarters 81 Division, Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion, Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans, Infantry Representative and member of the Training Team, Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps and Deputy Chief of Staff (Training/Operations), Headquarters Infantry Corps (2019).
Other past roles include Commander, Sector 3 Operation LAFIYA DOLE (North-East counter-insurgency), Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force (Lake Chad Basin), Theatre Commander, Operation HADIN KAI (2021–2023), Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps and lastly, Chief of Defence Staff (June 2023 – October 2025).
Tinubu said he had full confidence in General Musa’s wealth of experience, strategic vision, and proven track record in combating insecurity.
The president’s letter has been referred the Committee on Defence for accelerated screening.
The chairman of the Committee, Senator Ali Ndume, told newsmen that a public hearing and interactive session with the nominee would be announced shortly
