Service Chiefs Rally Behind New Defence Minister Musa

Nigeria’s military leadership demonstrated unity on December 5, 2025, as top Service Chiefs gathered at the Ministry of Defence in Abuja to welcome General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, the newly sworn-in Minister of Defence. President Bola Tinubu nominated the retired former Chief of Defence Staff on December 2, following the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar due to health issues, with Senate confirmation secured swiftly thereafter.​ Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede led the delegation, including Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, in a formal handover that signals seamless transition amid escalating national security demands.​

General Musa arrived at Ship House headquarters around 11:10 a.m., inspecting the quarter guard per military protocol before engaging in warm exchanges with the chiefs and senior officials. The group then held a closed-door session with ministry directors, emphasizing coordinated strategies for counter-terrorism, insurgency, and internal security.​ Stakeholders have praised Musa’s prior tenure as CDS from 2023 to 2025 for its strategic innovations, anticipating a robust phase in defence governance.

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Air Marshal Aneke highlighted the Nigerian Air Force’s pivotal contributions through aerial surveillance, precision strikes, and swift deployments, vowing deeper integration with army and naval units via real-time intelligence. This alignment addresses Nigeria’s multifaceted threats, from banditry to maritime insecurity, fostering operational synergy under the new leadership.​ The meeting transcends ceremony, marking a strategic pivot to bolster joint forces effectiveness nationwide.