President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday inaugurated General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.) as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence during a ceremony held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

General Musa’s appointment follows the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday, December 1, 2025. His nomination was announced the next day and forwarded to the Senate, which conducted a swift screening process and confirmed him without delay.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and went on to build a distinguished military career. President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023, a position he held until his retirement in October 2025.

During his tenure as Chief of Defence Staff, he strengthened cooperation among the Armed Forces and advanced inter-service security coordination.

With his inauguration, the new Defence Minister is expected to immediately assume office as the Tinubu administration works to consolidate recent security successes and accelerate reforms aimed at ensuring lasting peace and stability across the country.

Present at the ceremony were Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Also in attendance were Mrs. Lilian Oghogho Musa, spouse of the new Minister; Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto; and retired Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs.