Tinubu Swears in Gen. Musa as Minister of Defence

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday sworn in General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) as the new Minister of Defence during a brief ceremony held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

General Musa’s appointment comes days after the resignation of the former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, on December 1, 2025. His nomination was immediately forwarded to the Senate, where it received swift screening and confirmation.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a second lieutenant in 1991 and built a distinguished career spanning over three decades. President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023, a position he held until his retirement in October 2025. During his tenure, he was widely credited for strengthening inter-service coordination and championing improved synergy among security agencies.

With his swearing-in, the retired General is expected to assume duties without delay, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to consolidate recent gains in the security sector and accelerate ongoing reforms aimed at achieving lasting peace and national stability.

Present at the ceremony were Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Others in attendance included the new Minister’s spouse, Mrs. Lilian Oghogho Musa; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah; and retired Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs.