Nigerian President Bola Tinubu nominated a former chief of the country’s defense staff as defense minister, against the backdrop of a security crisis that threatens bilateral ties with the US.
Tinubu tapped Christopher Musa to replace outgoing Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who cited personal health reasons for his resignation a day earlier. Musa is a recently retired Nigerian army general who Tinubu removed in October when he sacked service chiefs days over reports of an alleged coup plot. The 58-year-old Musa had been chief of defense staff since 2023.
Nigeria’s security challenges, marked by a resurgent kidnapping crisis, have turned from a national to an international crisis for Tinubu’s government: The Trump administration has threatened Abuja with sanctions and military actions over the alleged mistreatment of Christian in the country.