General Christopher Musa Assumes Duty as Defence Minister
General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.) has officially assumed duty as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence following his swearing-in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu earlier this week. The former Chief of Defence Staff takes over from Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on health grounds after months of service in the security portfolio.
Musa’s resumption at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja was marked by a brief but formal welcome ceremony attended by top military commanders, ministry directors, and senior government officials. He immediately held a closed-door meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, the service chiefs, and heads of key security agencies to review current national security conditions. Addressing journalists after assuming office, the minister pledged a proactive and uncompromising approach to tackling the nation’s most pressing security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, oil theft, and rising violent crime. He assured Nigerians that the military, under his leadership, would intensify joint operations, strengthen intelligence coordination, and enhance collaboration with the police and other security institutions. According to him, the Tinubu administration is committed to restoring stability in affected communities and ensuring that security forces operate professionally and with respect for human rights. Musa, who until October served as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, brings decades of operational and leadership experience to the ministry. His tenure as CDS was characterised by expanded counterterrorism operations and renewed emphasis on inter-agency cooperation—priorities analysts expect him to reinforce in his new role. Security observers have expressed optimism that Musa’s hands-on experience and familiarity with the security landscape will help accelerate ongoing reforms. However, they also noted that lasting progress will require improved funding, enhanced equipment supply, and strengthened civilian oversight to ensure sustainable peace. The Defence Minister is expected to brief the president in the coming days on his immediate plans, including strategic deployments, restructuring of certain military operations, and measures aimed at protecting schools, highways, and rural communities. With Musa now in charge of the country’s defence architecture, the Federal Government says it is confident that Nigeria will witness significant progress in its fight against insecurity.
