President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce a new Minister of Defence this week following the unexpected resignation of the serving minister, Badaru Abubakar, who stepped aside due to health reasons.
Abubakar’s resignation took immediate effect and was submitted in a letter dated December 1 and addressed to the President. President Tinubu accepted the request and expressed appreciation for Abubakar’s service to the country.
According to official information, the President is likely to notify the Senate of Abubakar’s replacement later this week, indicating that arrangements to appoint a successor are already in progress.
Abubakar, who is 63, previously served as governor of Jigawa State for two terms between 2015 and 2023 before assuming the position of Minister of Defence on August 21, 2023.
The development was confirmed in a statement released on Monday evening by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said Abubakar cited health challenges as the reason for his decision to leave office.
His departure comes at a critical time for the administration, which is facing worsening security challenges that recently led President Tinubu to declare a nationwide state of security emergency.
As part of the response, the President announced the recruitment of 20,000 additional police personnel, the deployment of forest guards, and increased security presence around schools, churches, and mosques in high-risk communities.
Meanwhile, some analysts had earlier called for Abubakar’s removal, arguing that he lacked the capacity to effectively head the ministry.
Notably, only hours before his resignation became public, President Tinubu met behind closed doors with former Chief of Defence Staff, retired General Christopher Musa, at the Presidential Villa.
Our correspondent observed Musa arriving at the State House at about 7:03 p.m., wearing a dark-green northern-style traditional outfit with elbow-length sleeves before being escorted into the President’s office by a senior security official.
This marked his first public engagement with President Tinubu since his retirement on October 24, 2025.
Although the purpose of the meeting was not disclosed, it has intensified speculation about who may emerge as the next Minister of Defence.
ADEOLA KUNLE
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