Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has stepped down with immediate effect for health reasons, the President’s office confirmed on 2 December. His departure comes amid growing security challenges across the country, including a surge in mass kidnappings that have drawn international attention.
Abubakar, 63, a former two-term Governor of Jigawa State and a key figure in President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 election campaign, informed the president of his decision through a resignation letter. Tinubu accepted the resignation and thanked him for his service, while reiterating plans to strengthen national security, including expanding the police force by 20,000 officers under a declared national security emergency.
President Tinubu on Tuesday, 2 December, has nominated retired General Christopher Musa, 58, as Abubakar’s replacement. Musa, former chief of Defence staff, is recognised for his extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations against jihadist groups in north-eastern Nigeria.
Senate confirmation hearings for Musa are expected soon, positioning him to oversee one of the country’s most ambitious security overhauls in decades. The resignation comes as gunmen continue to abduct civilians across Nigeria. Since mid-November, at least 402 people, mostly schoolchildren, have been kidnapped, according to the UN. Analysts attribute the attacks to a mix of criminal gangs seeking ransom, jihadist militants, and separatist groups, while government sources emphasize that both Christians and Muslims have been targeted.
International concern over the escalating violence has grown. On Tuesday, the US House Committee on Appropriations convened a high-level meeting on allegations of persecution against Christians in Nigeria.
Last month, US President Donald Trump warned of potential military intervention if the Nigerian government failed to address the killings, prompting increased bilateral security cooperation, including the formation of a US-Nigerian working group to strengthen defence and security ties.