By Chimdiogo Amuh 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the name of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, to the Senate for confirmation as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.

The nomination was communicated in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, announcing General Musa as the proposed replacement for Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.

General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated officer and recipient of the 2012 Colin Powell Award for Soldiering. He served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025, playing key roles in counter-terrorism operations and security reforms.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his early education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991, the year he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.

Over the course of a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, he has held several strategic appointments, including General Staff Officer 1 (Training/Operations), HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements at Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative at the Nigerian Army Armour Corps Training Team.

His operational experience includes serving as Deputy Chief of Staff (Training/Operations) at the Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander of Sector 3 in Operation Lafiya Dole, and Commander of Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.

In 2021, he became Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai before later assuming command of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. His elevation to Chief of Defence Staff in 2023 placed him at the forefront of Nigeria’s national security leadership.

President Tinubu, in his letter, expressed strong confidence in General Musa’s capacity to lead the Ministry of Defence and contribute to strengthening the country’s security architecture.

- AnchorNews