Insecurity: Extra high-level exits loom as Tinubu replaces Badaru with ex-CDS, meets Service Chiefs
- Northern stakeholders urge President to retain Matawalle in Defence Ministry
President Bola Tinubu has nominated a former Chief of Defence Workers, Normal Christopher Musa as the brand new Minister of Defence.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed Normal Musa’s nomination because the successor to Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday, an announcement by Bayo Onanuga, Particular Adviser to the President on Data and Technique disclosed on Tuesday.
“Normal Musa, 58, on December 25, is a distinguished soldier who served as Chief of Defence Workers from 2023 till October 2025. He gained the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Normal Musa acquired his main and secondary schooling there earlier than attending the School of Superior Research in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled on the Nigerian Defence Academy the identical 12 months, incomes a Bachelor of Science diploma upon commencement in 1991.
Normal Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Military as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished profession. His appointments embrace Normal Workers Officer 1, Coaching/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Necessities, Division of Military Coverage and Plans; and Infantry Consultant/Member, Coaching Crew, HQ Nigerian Military Armour Corps.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Workers, Coaching/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Process Drive within the Lake Chad Area.
In 2021, Normal Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later grew to become Commander of the Nigerian Military Infantry Corps earlier than being appointed Chief of Defence Workers by President Tinubu in 2023.
Within the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in Normal Musa’s means to guide the Ministry of Defence and additional strengthen Nigeria’s safety structure,” the assertion learn.
In the meantime, specialists say that the sudden resignation of Badaru could sign additional exits from the Federal Government Council within the coming weeks.
Badaru’s exit on Monday has already intensified hypothesis about an imminent cupboard shake-up.
Though it isn’t for anybody to predetermine the President’s subsequent transfer, sturdy indications counsel that extra ministers could possibly be eased out because the administration edges towards the 2027 election cycle
Already, stakeholders have foreseen the handwriting on the corridor and have began lobbying for the President to retain their folks in his cupboard.
The Northern Stakeholders Consultative Initiative has known as on President Tinubu to retain the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, following Badaru’s resignation.
In an announcement signed by its convener, Yerima Shettima, the group stated it was essential to reaffirm Matawalle’s significance to the administration, notably in strengthening nationwide safety and selling regional stability.
In keeping with the NSCI, the minister has remained a key determine within the ongoing safety initiatives throughout Northern Nigeria and continues to take pleasure in broad help within the area.
The organisation famous that Matawalle’s coordination of federal safety interventions has boosted confidence amongst native communities, whereas his engagements with regional stakeholders have enhanced cooperation between the federal authorities and native actors.
Describing him as a gradual pillar inside the administration, the NSCI argued that retaining Matawalle would assist consolidate present safety beneficial properties and guarantee continuity at a time of heightened safety challenges. It burdened that the interval requires constant management and sustained implementation of defence methods.
The assertion additionally underscored the necessity to preserve unity and strengthen public belief in authorities establishments. It urged the President to proceed to help officers who’ve demonstrated dedication to governance, safety, and neighborhood welfare.
“We imagine that retaining skilled arms is crucial to the progress being recorded throughout varied sectors,” Shettima stated, noting that Matawalle’s contributions stay precious to each the administration and the area.
The group additional urged the general public and the media to remain centered on constructive nationwide discourse and emphasised the collective accountability required to sort out the nation’s safety challenges.
NSCI reaffirmed its readiness to work with the federal government and related stakeholders to advance peace and improvement efforts throughout Northern Nigeria.
Nevertheless, the lawmaker representing Osun East within the Senate, Francis Fadahunsi, has urged the President to additional reorganise the nation’s safety administration crew by appointing a retired army officer because the Nationwide Safety Adviser.
He suggested the President to redeploy the present NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, to a different space of nationwide service the place his competence could be higher utilised.
Fadahunsi made the decision in an announcement signed by his Particular Adviser on Media, Sam Segun-Progress, and obtained in Osogbo on Tuesday.
The senator had earlier demanded a complete reorganisation of the nation’s army structure.
In a brief video of his contribution throughout plenary, obtained by our correspondent, Fadahunsi stated, “The Minister of Defence is just not a soldier or a retired basic. The Minister of State, all of them are businessmen. The NSA is a retired policeman.
“Have you learnt that these troopers name us— even these carrying superior weapons than theirs—‘bloody civilians’? And that’s what is affecting us.
“The Commander-in-Chief wants to take a look at the army structure round him and do the needful. If not, we’ll proceed to waste cash as a result of they won’t take orders from some other individual apart from their very own basic.”
Reacting to the resignation of Badaru, and Musa’s nomination as Defence Minister-designate, Fadahunsi, an APC lawmaker, counseled the event.
He, nonetheless, urged Tinubu to go a step additional by “changing the present Nationwide Safety Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, with a retired army officer for a extra environment friendly coordination of the combat towards bandits and different violent criminals.”
He added, “The present NSA ought to be moved to his space of core competence, the place his talent might be higher put to make use of.
“These accountable for the defence structure of the nation have carried out their finest, however it’s essential at this level to permit folks with army backgrounds to return into the system and run with the President’s imaginative and prescient.”
In the meantime, President Tinubu had a closed-door talks with service chiefs and heads of safety companies on the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday night time.
The service chiefs had been noticed arriving on the forecourt of the Villa at about 04:30 pm on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s assembly is being held barely three hours after Tinubu nominated Musa as Minister of Defence.
The safety heads had been led to the assembly by the Chief of Defence Workers, Normal Olufemi Oluyede.
Additionally current are the Chief of Military Workers, Lt. Normal W. Shaibu, Chief of Air Workers, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke, and Chief of Naval Workers, Vice Admiral I. Abbas.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt. Normal Akomaye Undiandeye, the Director-Normal, Division of State Companies, Oluwatosin Ajayi, and the Inspector-Normal of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, are additionally in attendance.
Final Wednesday, Tinubu declared a nationwide safety emergency within the wake of a spate of abductions, saying measures together with the recruitment of 20,000 further law enforcement officials, the deployment of forest guards, and tighter safety of colleges, church buildings and mosques in weak areas.
The Abia State governor, Alex Otti, was additionally sighted arriving on the President’s workplace advanced.
Otti, wearing a gray knee-length native apparel, was carrying a file of paperwork.
It couldn’t be confirmed whether or not the governor was a part of the safety assembly or on a unique go to.
The Abia state governor had just lately visited the convicted chief of the Indigenous Individuals of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in Sokoto prisons.