President Bola Tinubu on Thursday administered the oath of office to retired General Christopher Musa, formally naming him Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The brief ceremony, held at the State House in Abuja, came barely 24 hours after the Senate gave its approval for his appointment.
Musa, who retired as Chief of Defence Staff in October, arrived at the Presidential Villa shortly before 4 p.m. and was immediately ushered in for the swearing-in.
His appointment follows the resignation of former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down recently due to reported health challenges.
During his intense five-hour Senate screening on Wednesday, the former CDS faced tough questions on recent national security lapses.
Lawmakers pressed him particularly on the withdrawal of troops from Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, an action that preceded the abduction of several schoolgirls on 17 November.
He assured legislators that a full-scale probe into the controversial withdrawal would begin the moment he assumed office.
Musa also pledged to investigate the killing of Brigadier-General Musa Uba and other targeted attacks on senior military personnel, describing the incidents as deeply troubling for the armed forces.
Before reaching the top of the military hierarchy, Musa had served as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, leading major counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandit networks.
His career spans decades of infantry command roles, operational planning, and joint-service coordination across multiple formations nationwide.
