Abuja, Dec. 3, 2025 — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence following an intense screening that lasted nearly five hours.
During the session, lawmakers grilled Musa on issues ranging from terrorism, banditry, military funding, and deradicalisation policies. He strongly opposed negotiations with bandits and criticised the reintegration of repentant Boko Haram members, insisting that terrorists should face stricter punitive measures Premium Times.
Musa pledged to strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture, boost troop morale, and intensify the fight against insurgency and emerging threats TELL Magazine The ICIR. Senators described the screening as thorough, reflecting the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the confirmation after a unanimous voice vote. He also disclosed that lawmakers had commenced legislative processes to designate kidnapping as terrorism and approve the death penalty for offenders The ICIR.
With his confirmation, Musa is expected to bring his years of frontline military leadership into President Bola Tinubu’s security agenda, replacing former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru The ICIR.
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