CG Musa: The Return of a Battle-Tested General
By Dahiru Lawal
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu removed General Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in October 2025 in a major security shake-up, rumours quickly spread that the decision was linked to an alleged failed coup attempt against Nigeria’s democracy, with CG Musa cast as one of the supposed kingpins.
Though the Presidency clarified that the change was part of a broader reconfiguration of the national security architecture and a routine leadership refresh, public speculation only intensified.
In the midst of this controversy, PRNigeria, one of Nigeria’s most authoritative security and emergency news platforms, published an exclusive report detailing how the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), under General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), had in fact been instrumental in foiling the alleged “bloody coup plot.” The report explained how the scheme—which purportedly included plans for the coordinated assassination of senior political and military figures—was uncovered by the DHQ’s internal intelligence unit led by the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye.
Yet many preferred conspiracy over facts. Instead of acknowledging Musa’s role in thwarting the plot, they pushed a narrative that his “involvement” was the reason he and some of his colleagues were removed. Some even vilified PRNigeria for accurately reporting his true role in the matter.
His nomination and subsequent swearing-in as Nigeria’s Minister of Defence have now put that malicious rumour to rest and reinforced his reputation as a battle-tested general, a security strategist, and a bridge-builder.
In a country where national consensus is often elusive—and where every major appointment is usually dragged into ethnic, religious or partisan crossfire—the emergence of General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), popularly known as CG Musa, as Defence Minister stands out as a rare moment of broad approval. At a time when existential questions around insecurity dominate public discourse, and when narratives of a so-called “Christian genocide” have attempted to fracture national cohesion, Musa’s appointment has, at least momentarily, dissolved fault lines and restored a measure of confidence in Nigeria’s security trajectory.
It is no exaggeration to say that Nigeria is at a security crossroads. Terrorism has evolved beyond rag-tag insurgency. Banditry has morphed into a political and economic enterprise. Illicit mining has become a funding pipeline. Transnational criminal networks now link instability in the Sahel with the forests of Zamfara and the creeks of the Niger Delta. In such a context, a Defence Minister cannot be a ceremonial figure. He must be decisive, grounded in strategy, and tested under fire. CG Musa fits that bill.
As Chief of Defence Staff, Musa demonstrated something often missing from Nigeria’s military vocabulary: strategic consistency. He assumed office at a time when troop morale was low and the security architecture was weakened by needless inter-agency rivalries. Under his watch, service-to-service competition was de-escalated; joint theatres were strengthened; inter-force intelligence fusion became more structured; and operational roles became clearer. His leadership style—firm, collegiate, and results-oriented—helped counter the widespread perception that insecurity was spiralling with no effective response.
Those who served under him frequently describe him as “present,” a quality surprisingly rare among senior officers who sometimes operate from bureaucratic distance rather than operational empathy. Musa’s visits to troops were not mere photo opportunities; they were working visits to forward operating bases where he asked uncomfortable but necessary questions: What exactly do you need? Which intelligence gaps must be fixed? Which commanders are underperforming? How do we protect civilians without breeding resentment? He understood both the battlefield and the psychology of war.
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Equally important, Musa recognises that insecurity in Nigeria is not merely a kinetic challenge. He has repeatedly spoken about the financial fuel that keeps terror alive. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he was unequivocal about how illicit fund flows sustain terrorism and how international partners must track and block those channels. For close watchers of Nigeria’s security environment, that kind of candour from a serving CDS was rare. For once, someone within the system publicly acknowledged what many had whispered for years: terrorism persists because too many people profit from it.
Now, as Defence Minister, he must convert that boldness into institutional will.
Nigeria has never lacked intelligence on terrorism financiers; what it has lacked is the political courage to confront them. If Musa sidesteps this battle, insecurity will continue to recycle itself, merely changing jerseys and shifting geographic locations. He has seen the classified briefs. He understands the pipelines of ransom laundering, proceeds from illegal mining, and foreign-based sponsors. Nigerians expect that his tenure will go beyond naming the culprits to prosecuting them with surgical precision.
While he must push the kinetic frontier, he must also elevate strategic communication. In today’s Nigeria, insecurity is often narrated faster than any counter-strategy. When bandits and extremists dominate the narrative space, the state is forced into a reactive posture.
The Ministry of Defence must not only fight wars; it must also explain them.
The era of silence—of allowing speculation and fake news to fill the gaps—weakens public trust. Communication is not a one-off press release after an operation; it is the continuous, responsible education of citizens on national security realities. Around the world, modern military doctrines increasingly treat strategic communication as a weapon system. CG Musa must embrace this philosophy fully.
The challenge before him is not just to stabilise physical territories but to stabilise confidence in the Nigerian project itself. A Defence Minister must not only command respect within the barracks; he must also inspire belief among citizens.
His standing within the military is not in doubt. Officers who worked with him attest that he is not easily intimidated by institutional politics, nor easily distracted by bureaucracy. Nigeria’s armed forces historically respond better to leaders whose ranks were earned in the field rather than bestowed through patronage. CG Musa is one of those.
Nigeria today is not searching for rhetoric; it is searching for resolve. The Minister must understand that citizens will not applaud effort alone—what matters are results. Armed groups must be systematically degraded, the ransom economy dismantled, international security partnerships operationalised, and illicit financing channels neutralised.
He has already urged the United Nations to deepen the monitoring of illicit fund flows connected to terrorism. Now, he has the platform to make that call actionable: push for joint financial intelligence units; pursue binding extradition agreements; strengthen currency-tracking cooperation; and ensure that private and institutional actors who aid insurgency face transparent sanctions.
The country stands at a decisive threshold. Failure will prolong national pain; success could redefine Nigeria’s security history.
By appointing him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has chosen experience over convenience and substance over symbolism. It is now up to CG Musa to write the chapter his military career has been preparing him for.
He must not blink. He must not succumb to sentiment. He must not allow institutional fatigue to overpower a national imperative.
Nigeria has, unusually, welcomed his appointment with near-unanimity. CG Musa should know that history has no middle chapter for security leaders: they either transform nations or they fade into footnotes.
He has returned to service—battle-tested, nationally endorsed, and institutionally respected. If he leads with the same authenticity and courage that have defined his career so far, Nigeria’s long war with insecurity may finally have found a worthy match.
Dahiru Lawal is Head of Special Projects at PRNigeria. He writes via: [email protected]
