General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) is set to make a dramatic comeback to the centre of Nigeria’s security architecture as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu names the former Chief of Defence Staff as the country’s new Minister of Defence.
The President’s decision, conveyed to the Senate in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, marks the return of one of Nigeria’s most seasoned battlefield commanders barely months after he exited the top military job. The announcement was later confirmed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Musa’s re-emergence follows the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down from the cabinet on Monday due to health concerns. His exit created a vacuum at the Defence Ministry that Tinubu has moved swiftly to fill with a familiar and tested hand.
For Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, the new role is another chapter in a military career carved across Nigeria’s toughest theatres. Born in Sokoto in 1967, he progressed from the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria, into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986, earning his commission in 1991.
His résumé reflects decades of frontline duty and strategic command: from leading 73 Battalion to shaping operations at 81 Division; from designing policy frameworks at Army Headquarters to serving as an infantry representative at the Armour Corps. His leadership in the Northeast — commanding Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole, the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin, and later the entire Operation Hadin Kai theatre — cemented his reputation as a decisive field commander.
That trajectory culminated in his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff in 2023, a role he held until October 2025. Along the way, he earned global recognition, including the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering.
By returning Musa to the frontline of national security management, President Tinubu signals a renewed push to strengthen Nigeria’s defence posture and overhaul key aspects of the country’s security strategy.
The Senate is expected to begin screening the nominee in the days ahead.
