Senate Confirms General Christopher Musa As Defence Minister

The Nigerian Senate has confirmed former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa (rtd), as the country’s new Minister of Defence, following his screening on Wednesday.

General Musa, who was recently retired by President Bola Tinubu as part of a major shake-up within the military leadership, received strong bipartisan support from lawmakers, many of whom praised his operational experience and frontline record.

During the screening, senators highlighted Musa’s extensive background in counter-insurgency operations, counter-terrorism coordination, and joint military missions across Nigeria’s most volatile regions, including the Northeast, Northwest, and parts of the North Central.

Legislators described him as a “battle-tested” officer whose practical experience will be crucial as Nigeria confronts escalating threats from insurgents, bandits, kidnappers, and other armed groups.

In his remarks, General Musa thanked President Tinubu for the nomination and expressed appreciation to the National Assembly for what he called a “thorough and patriotic evaluation process.”

He pledged to intensify efforts to stabilize the country’s worsening security landscape.

“I want to assure Nigerians that we are going to work round the clock to ensure the country is safe and secure,” Musa said.
“Security is a collective responsibility. We need Nigerians to support the security forces because nobody can do it alone. If you see something wrong, report it, action will be taken.”

Musa also commended the Armed Forces for their resilience and thanked Nigerians for their continued confidence in his leadership.