Tinubu Writes Senate, Seeks Confirmation of Gen. CG Musa as New Defence Minister
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The nomination was conveyed in a letter sent to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, following the resignation of the former Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, on Monday.
General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a seasoned military officer with a distinguished service record. He served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025 and was the recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and immediately enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in 1991.
Read Also:
Over the course of his career, General Musa held several key appointments, including General Staff Officer 1 (Training/Operations) at Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements in the Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Training Team Member at Army Armour Corps Headquarters.
He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations at the Infantry Corps Headquarters in 2019; Commander of Sector 3 under Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander of Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai before rising to head the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. He was later appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed strong confidence in General Musa’s capacity to lead the Ministry of Defence and contribute to the strengthening of Nigeria’s security architecture.
The Senate is expected to screen and confirm the nomination in the coming days.
By PRNigeria
