Nigeria appoints former top general to defense minister amid northern violence
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — A Nigerian service member is seen during a joint exercise with British troops, Nov. 26, 2019. (UK in Nigeria photo via Facebook)
By Ahmed Kingimi
ABUJA - President Bola Tinubu nominated Nigeria's former top general to replace the defence minister, who resigned amid a surge in mass kidnappings and Islamist attacks in the north that has led the president to declare a security emergency.
Christopher Musa, 58, served as Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October this year. He will succeed Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, a former regional governor who stepped down as defence minister on Monday citing health reasons.
Tinubu conveyed the nomination in a letter to parliament, the president's office said.
"President Tinubu expressed confidence in General Musa's ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture," his spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in a statement.
The appointment comes days after Tinubu declared a security emergency in response to worsening violence.
More than 200 schoolchildren kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school on November 24 remain missing. They are among at least 402 people abducted since mid-November, according to the United Nations.
Tinubu has ordered the recruitment of 50,000 police officers, more army enlistment, and the redeployment to frontline duties of police assigned to protect VIPs. Forest guards have also been deployed to help flush out armed gangs.
Cheta Nwanze, partner at consultancy SBM Intelligence, said insecurity in the wider Sahel region was spilling into Nigeria.
"The implication is not just a change in personnel, but a glaring reminder of the need for a fundamentally new, community-trusted approach to security that addresses both internal governance and regional threats," said Nwanze.
Nigeria is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump, who last month threatened military action over the treatment of Christians in the country. Nigeria says claims that Christians face persecution misrepresent a complex security situation and do not take into account efforts to safeguard religious freedom.
Washington is considering actions including sanctions and engagement on counterterrorism, a senior U.S. State Department official said on November 20.
(Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi, Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo and Ben Ezeamalu, Editing by Alexander Smith // REUTERS)
