President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu expressed confidence in the retired officer’s capacity to strengthen the nation’s defence architecture and advance ongoing security reforms.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa completed his early education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant the same year, he has held several critical command and staff appointments, including General Staff Officer 1 (Training/Operations), HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
His operational leadership includes serving 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.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later led the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being named Chief of Defence Staff in 2023. General Musa is a recipient of multiple honours, including the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
