Retired General Christopher G. Musa has been inaugurated as the new Minister of Defense by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Villa, Abuja.
Musa, who arrived at the State House at about 3:47 p.m. Thursday, took the oath of office inside the President’s office before proceeding to hold a brief closed-door session with the Commander-in-Chief.
Gen. Musa replaces Mohammed Badaru, who recently resigned on health grounds.
The former Chief of Defence Staff, who retired in October, previously served as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, overseeing counter-insurgency campaigns against Boko Haram and ISWAP in the Northeast.
As Chief of Defence Staff, he coordinated joint operations across the Army, Navy and Air Force, including missions against bandit networks in the North-West and violent extremist cells in the North-Central.
A seasoned infantry officer, Musa’s service record spans multiple command and staff roles in field operations, training institutions and tri-service headquarters.
Security analysts say his appointment signals Tinubu’s intention to reassert tighter control over defence operations, improve inter-agency coordination and accelerate reforms in equipment procurement, troop welfare and intelligence systems.