Abuja – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday officially swore in General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The appointment follows the resignation of former Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, on Monday, December 1, 2025. General Musa’s nomination was announced the next day and promptly transmitted to the Senate, where he received expedited screening and confirmation.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Nigerian Army in 1991 and enjoyed a distinguished military career. He served as Chief of Defence Staff under President Tinubu from 2023 until his retirement in October 2025, during which he championed inter-service security collaboration.
With his swearing-in, General Musa is expected to assume full duties immediately, as the Tinubu administration seeks to consolidate recent security gains and fast-track reforms aimed at ensuring lasting peace and stability across the country.
The ceremony was attended by key government and security officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Also present were the new Defence Minister’s spouse, Mrs. Lilian Oghogho Musa, Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, and retired Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs.
