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By Correspondent in Abuja.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday swore in General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, marking a key development in the administration’s ongoing security reforms.
The ceremony took place in the evening at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
General Musa’s appointment comes after the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on December 1, 2025. His nomination was immediately forwarded to the Senate the following day, where it received prompt screening and confirmation.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and went on to build an illustrious career. He previously served as Chief of Defence Staff, appointed by President Tinubu in 2023, before retiring from active service in October 2025.
As Chief of Defence Staff, he was widely credited for strengthening inter-service cooperation and advancing joint military operations across the country.
With his swearing-in, General Musa is expected to assume duties immediately as the Tinubu administration intensifies efforts to consolidate recent security gains and accelerate reforms aimed at fostering lasting peace and national stability.
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; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Also in attendance were the spouse of the new Minister, Mrs. Lilian Oghogho Musa; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto; and retired Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
