By Chimdiogo Amuh
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the name of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, to the Senate for confirmation as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The nomination was conveyed in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, announcing General Musa as the proposed replacement for Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.
General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated senior officer and recipient of the 2012 Colin Powell Award for Soldiering. He served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025, playing key roles in counter-terrorism operations and major security reforms.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his early education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991, the same year he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
His distinguished military career spans over three decades, during which he held several strategic appointments including:
- General Staff Officer 1 (Training/Operations), HQ 81 Division
- Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion
- Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Army Policy and Plans
- Infantry Representative, Nigerian Army Armour Corps Training Team
General Musa’s extensive operational experience includes serving as Deputy Chief of Staff (Training/Operations) at the Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander of Sector 3 in Operation Lafiya Dole, and Commander of Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai before taking over as Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. His elevation to Chief of Defence Staff in 2023 placed him at the forefront of Nigeria’s national security leadership.
President Tinubu, in his letter, expressed strong confidence in General Musa’s capacity to lead the Ministry of Defence and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
