Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has called for an experienced leader to head Nigeria’s Defence Ministry following the resignation of Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru. Badaru stepped down from office citing poor health, a development confirmed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Monday. President Bola Tinubu accepted the resignation and expressed gratitude for Badaru’s service.
Reacting on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Sani said the Defence Ministry requires an experienced hand in light of the country’s rising insecurity.
“Whether the Defence minister resigned or was removed, the Defence Ministry needs an experienced hand to lead in view of the exigencies of today. Nigeria historically fought in the First and Second World Wars, contributed forces for the restoration of peace in DRC Congo, Tanzania, Lebanon, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Sudan, etc. The nation should be able to defend itself against these criminal bandits and terrorists,” he wrote.
On the same day, President Tinubu nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as the new Minister of Defence. In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu conveyed Musa’s nomination to succeed Badaru. Musa, 58, served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025 and was awarded the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa received his primary and secondary education locally before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria, graduating in 1986. He enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Musa held multiple appointments including General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative on the Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region. Musa later became Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, and Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in Musa’s ability to lead the Defence Ministry and strengthen Nigeria’s security framework.
