President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Basic Christopher Gwabin Musa as the brand new Minister of Defence.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed Basic Musa’s nomination because the successor to Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.
Basic Musa, 58, on December 25, is a distinguished soldier who served as Chief of Defence Employees from 2023 till October 2025. He received the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Basic Musa obtained his main and secondary training there earlier than attending the Faculty 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.
Basic Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Military as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished profession. His appointments embody Basic Employees 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 Workforce, HQ Nigerian Military Armour Corps.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Employees, Coaching/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Job Drive within the Lake Chad Area.
In 2021, Basic 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 Employees by President Tinubu in 2023.
Within the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in Basic Musa’s potential to steer the Ministry of Defence and additional strengthen Nigeria’s safety structure.