Fresh moves are underway in Nigeria’s security leadership as former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, is tipped to step in as the new Minister of Defence following the abrupt resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday night.
Musa, who bowed out of service on October 24, 2025, made a notable return to the Presidential Villa on Monday evening for a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu—his first public appearance since retirement.
According to senior government insiders, the President used the meeting to personally inform the ex-CDS that he would be taking over the top defence portfolio.
The President had earlier accepted Badaru’s resignation and expressed gratitude for his contribution to the administration. A formal communication is expected to be sent to the Senate within days to notify lawmakers of the new appointment.
Badaru, 63, previously served two terms as governor of Jigawa State before joining Tinubu’s cabinet on August 21, 2023. His departure coincides with the President’s recent declaration of a national security emergency, a move expected to usher in sweeping reforms across the defence sector.
With the security landscape demanding urgent recalibration, Musa’s imminent return to the centre of national defence strategy signals a significant shift in the administration’s approach to tackling emerging threats.