Lawyer hails Tinubu over Musa’s appointment as defence minister

Immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.

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A human rights lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has commended President Bola Tinubu over the appointment of General Christopher Musa (retd.), a former Chief of Defence Staff, as the new Minister of Defence.

Ejiofor described Musa’s appointment as a “square peg for a square hole”, saying under his command as Chief of Defence Staff, banditry cartels felt the true weight of a Nigerian state finally determined to survive.

He stated this in a statement released on Wednesday titled, ‘The resurrection of strategic sanity: The appointment of General Christopher Musa (Rtd.) — A perfect square peg for a square hole, and a long-awaited balm for a bleeding nation’.

He described Musa as a man who “stands out like a lighthouse in a raging storm,” adding that his nomination signals a decisive shift toward restoring national security and stability.

Ejiofor further expressed optimism about what he described as the “formidable alignment” between the retired Chief of Defence Staff and Mr Adeola Ajayi, the newly appointed Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said with both men at the helm of security affairs, he said, long-suffering Nigerians “may finally exhale,” as “the days of marauders, jihadists, and terror entrepreneurs are numbered.”

The statement read in part, “In an era where national decisions often oscillate between the bewildering and the utterly incomprehensible, the nomination, and the widely expected inevitable appointment, of General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), erstwhile Chief of Defence Staff, as Minister of Defence, stands out like a lighthouse in a raging storm.

“To the discerning mind, this single act reads almost like an institutional apology for the earlier premature retirement of a man whose monumental achievements in military leadership remain too glaring to be waved away by bureaucratic caprice.

“Political analysts and those who possess the rare gift of reading between governmental lines remain acutely aware of the extraordinary feats General Musa accomplished during his stewardship of Nigeria’s military defence architecture. He was not a man of noise; he was a man of results.

“As Chief of Defence Staff, he zealously led coordinated operations that dislodged, degraded, and dismantled some of the most entrenched terrorist networks on the continent. Under his command, ISWAP, Boko Haram, and the hydra-headed banditry cartels felt the true weight of a Nigerian state finally determined to survive.

“Yes, scattered pockets of insecurity lingered, predictably so in a nation still grappling with internal sabotage and unpatriotic fifth columnists, but Musa maintained an extraordinary grip on the architecture of national defence. His leadership drastically reduced casualty figures, curtailed internal leaks, and neutralised enemies of the state who operated both in the bush and, disturbingly, within the corridors of power.

“Not many Nigerians know that General Musa is a devoted Anglican, a faith I proudly share as a Knight of Saint Christopher. His spiritual discipline reflects in his public conduct: incorruptible, unassuming, and unfailingly civil.

“He is admired across ethnic, religious, and social boundaries. Rising to the pinnacle of his career without scandal is no mean feat in today’s Nigeria.”

He added that Musa’s professionalism, focus, and results-driven approach remain models for the institution he once led.

“With the formidable alignment of Rtd. CDS General Musa and DG Ajayi, the long-suffering citizens of this country may finally exhale. The days of marauders, jihadists, and terror entrepreneurs are numbered.

“At a time when many Nigerians have grown accustomed to wincing at federal appointments, the nomination of General Musa stands out as the most sensible decision the Federal Government has made in recent memory.

“The public’s jubilant reaction, both on the streets and across social media, speaks volumes. Nigerians recognise a competent man when they see one,” he added.

PUNCH Online reports that the Senate on Wednesday confirmed Musa’s appointment as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence following a rigorous five-hour screening by lawmakers.

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