President Tinubu to appoint a new Defence Minister after Badaru Abubakar resigns on health grounds amid rising national security concerns

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to name a new Minister of Defence this week following the sudden resignation of Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down citing health reasons.

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The resignation, effective immediately, was conveyed in a letter dated December 1 and addressed to the President.

The development was confirmed on Monday evening by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

The statement noted that the President had accepted Abubakar’s resignation and thanked him for his service to the nation.

Abubakar, 63, previously served two terms as Governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023 before his appointment as Defence Minister on August 21, 2023.

His departure comes at a critical time for the administration, which recently declared a nationwide security emergency to tackle rising insecurity.

The President has unveiled measures including the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers, deployment of forest guards, and heightened security for schools, churches, and mosques in vulnerable communities.

Hours before the resignation announcement, Tinubu met privately with retired Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa at the State House.

The meeting, Musa’s first public engagement with the President since his October retirement, has intensified speculation over who will succeed Abubakar as Defence Minister.

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The replacement process is expected to be communicated to the Senate later this week, signalling a swift transition at the helm of the Ministry of Defence.