ICYMI: Things to know about defence minister Christopher Musa

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

Kindly share this story:

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher  Musa, as the new Minister of Defence following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru on Monday due to health reasons.

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

Here are some things to know about him:

Musa, born on December 25, 1967, is 58 years old. He graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree after earlier attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria, in 1986 and completing his primary and secondary education in Sokoto before that year.

He served as the 18th Chief of Defence Staff from June 2023 to October 2025, where he oversaw integrated operations across all branches of the armed forces. Before then, he was Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps between 2022 and 2023, directing infantry training and development.

From 2021 to 2022, Musa was the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai in Northeast Nigeria, leading counter-terrorism operations against Boko Haram.

Prior to that, he commanded Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region from 2019 to 2021, coordinating joint military efforts with neighbouring countries.

During the same period, he also served as Commander of Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole, overseeing sector-level counter-insurgency operations.

In 2019, Musa served as Deputy Chief of Staff (Training/Operations) at the Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps.

Before 2019, he had held several strategic positions, including Infantry Representative on the Training Team at the Army Armour Corps Headquarters, Assistant Director of Operational Requirements at Army Headquarters, Commanding Officer of 73 Battalion, and General Staff Officer 1 (Training/Operations) at 81 Division.

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1991, Musa began his military career in infantry roles that formed the foundation of his later leadership appointments.

He is also a recipient of several honours, including the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering (2012), in recognition of outstanding military leadership.

Kindly share this story:

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25Million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, 👉 click here to find out how it work (Be sure to ask for evidence of clients that have benefitted from this)

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.