President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially sworn in General Christopher Musa (retd.) as the new Minister of Defence, marking a swift transition in Nigeria’s security leadership.
Musa’s appointment came barely 48 hours after the Senate confirmed him following a rigorous five-hour screening session.
During the screening, the Senate extensively drilled the former Chief of Defence Staff over recent security lapses, including the controversial withdrawal of troops from Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State — an action that preceded the abduction of schoolgirls on November 17.
Responding, Musa pledged a full-scale investigation into the withdrawal immediately he assumes office and to probe the killing of Brigade Commander Brig-Gen Musa Uba in Borno State among other targeted attacks on senior military officers.
The new Defence Minister succeeded the former, Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down on Monday on health grounds.
Tinubu forwarded Musa’s name to the Senate the following day, where it received accelerated approval.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991.
He rose through the ranks to become Chief of Defence Staff in 2023, a role in which he prioritized inter-service coordination and operational collaboration until his retirement in October 2025.
With his swearing-in, Musa is expected to immediately take charge of the Defence Ministry as the Tinubu administration pushes to consolidate security gains and accelerate reforms aimed at strengthening peace and national stability.
God will help him o