Tinubu begins hunt for new Defence Minister after Badaru’s resignation

President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce a new Minister of Defence this week following the abrupt exit of  Abubakar Badaru, who resigned from the federal cabinet citing health challenges.

Abubakar’s resignation, which took immediate effect, was formally communicated in a letter dated December 1 and addressed to the President.

The development was made public on Monday evening through a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, .

“In a letter dated December 1, sent to President Bola Tinubu, Abubakar said he was quitting on health grounds.

“President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation. President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week”, the statement read.  Read also: More boots, same fear? Nigeria’s security dilemma

Abubakar, 63, a two-term governor of Jigawa State between 2015 and 2023, was appointed Minister of Defence on August 21, 2023.

His departure comes at a critical security moment for the administration, which is battling escalating threats across the country, an issue that recently prompted Tinubu to declare a nationwide security emergency.

As part of his new security directives, the President ordered the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, the activation of a national forest guard system, and enhanced protection for schools, churches and mosques in communities vulnerable to attacks.

Abubakar had faced persistent criticism from some analysts who argued that he lacked the capacity to lead the Defence Ministry effectively.

His resignation has reignited debates about the direction of Tinubu’s security reforms and the calibre of leadership required to drive them.

Fueling further speculation about the ministerial succession, Tinubu held a private meeting hours earlier with Christopher Musa, former Chief of Defence Staff at the State House.

Musa was sighted arriving at 7:03 p.m., dressed in dark-green northern-style traditional attire with elbow-length sleeves, before being escorted into the President’s office wing by a senior security official.

Read also: Tinubu accepts Defence Minister Badaru’s resignation

It was his first public visit to the Villa since retiring on October 24, 2025.

Although the details of the discussion were not disclosed, the timing of the meeting has intensified speculation that Musa, or another senior security figure could be under consideration to replace Abubakar as Defence Minister.

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