President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce a new Minister of Defence within days following the abrupt resignation of the current office holder, Badaru Abubakar, who bowed out citing health concerns.
Abubakar’s resignation—effective immediately—was formally communicated to the President in a letter dated December 1. The development was made public on Monday evening through a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Onanuga, the outgoing minister explained in his letter that his decision was driven strictly by health reasons. President Tinubu, in accepting the resignation, expressed appreciation for Abubakar’s service and commitment.
The Presidency also hinted that Tinubu will forward the name of Abubakar’s replacement to the Senate later this week, signaling that the search for a new defence chief is already in motion.
Abubakar, 63, previously governed Jigawa State for two terms between 2015 and 2023. He was appointed Defence Minister on August 21, 2023, making his exit relatively sudden and politically significant.
His departure coincides with a challenging period for the administration, which is currently confronting a surge in security threats nationwide. Only recently, President Tinubu declared a national security emergency and announced sweeping reforms, including the enlistment of 20,000 additional police officers, deployment of forest guards, and enhanced protection for schools, churches, mosques, and other vulnerable sites.
Pressure had been mounting from security analysts and public commentators who questioned Abubakar’s suitability for the role, with some calling for a change in leadership within the ministry.
Speculation over his possible successor intensified after a private meeting between President Tinubu and the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), held just hours before the resignation was made public. Musa, who retired on October 24, 2025, was seen arriving at the State House at 7:03 p.m. dressed in a dark-green traditional outfit, before being escorted into the President’s office wing.
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Although details of the meeting remain undisclosed, the timing has stirred conversation within political and defence circles about whether Musa—or someone else from the security establishment—may be tapped to take over the defence portfolio.
As the nation awaits the President’s formal announcement, attention is now fixed on the strategic direction the administration intends to pursue to confront Nigeria’s escalating security challenges.
