The Senate has approved the appointment of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (retd.), as the new Minister of Defence. President Bola Tinubu had earlier forwarded his name to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, asking lawmakers to endorse the former CDS for the role.
Appearing before the Senate on Wednesday, December 3, Musa vowed to strengthen military conduct and reiterated his confidence in Nigeria’s ability to overcome its internal security challenges.
Musa began his address by reassuring both the Senate and citizens of his dedication to safeguarding the country.
“I pledge to do my best to ensure that Nigeria is secure and safe. We need the support of everyone, every Nigerian, working together as a team because it’s going to be a team effort,” he stated.
He labelled the prevailing security dangers as “evil forces that don’t mean well for this country and have no respect for human lives,” stressing the need for nationwide unity to prevent them from succeeding.
Reflecting on his nearly four decades of service, Musa said he possesses clear insight into the nation’s security problems and the strategies required.
He said, “I want to assure Nigerians that as I’m coming on board, having served 39 years. All through my career in the armed forces, we have seen what is going on, we have understood what is going on, and we know what we need.”
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai.
He subsequently served as Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before President Tinubu named him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
Musa held the CDS position from 2023 until October 2025, when the President relieved him of the role.
