The Senate on Wednesday commenced the screening of former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, following his nomination by President Bola Tinubu as the new Minister of Defence.
The screening began shortly after Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Tinubu’s request during plenary.
The President urged lawmakers to approve Musa as a replacement for former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, who had resigned on Monday citing health reasons.
Akpabio subsequently directed the suspension of Senate rules to formally allow the retired military chief into the chamber for the exercise.
In his nomination letter, transmitted to the upper chamber on Tuesday, President Tinubu expressed confidence in Musa’s capacity to “strengthen Nigeria’s security framework” and effectively reposition the ministry amid the nation’s severe insecurity challenges.
The nomination itself was initially confirmed via a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and rose through various command and staff appointments.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, and subsequently headed the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before his elevation to Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
His predecessor, Badaru, who assumed office as minister on August 21, 2023, stepped down on Monday after admitting in his resignation letter that he could no longer effectively discharge his duties due to ill health.
The President has accepted the resignation and expressed gratitude for Badaru’s service.
Badaru recently drew public backlash after a BBC Hausa interview in which he claimed some terrorists were difficult to target because their forest hideouts were “too dense for bombs to reach.”
Persecondnews gathered that upon Gen. Musa’s screening, he might sworn in during the week by President Tinubu.
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