Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa
Nigeria’s newly appointed Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, stepped into office on Friday with a resolute message to Nigerians: the shedding of innocent blood must end.
Speaking at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Abuja, Musa — who until now served as Chief of Defence Staff — said he was returning to the ministry with the full backing of President Bola Tinubu and the trust of citizens who believe in his capacity to reset the nation’s security landscape.
“After having 39 years in service to come in and now be a Minister of Defence, the love Nigerians have shown us shows that people believe that we can turn the tide,” he said.
Musa stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges would not be resolved by mere talk but by collective action.
“Change will not come from rhetoric, but through action by all Nigerians. We must, firstly as Nigerians, take the ownership of the responsibilities of the challenges we have in our country, it is only us that can solve the problem.”
He declared emphatically: “The shedding of innocent blood is over. Citizens have a right to live without fear. Our children should be able to go back to school. The farmers should be able to go back to their farms.”
*Troop welfare tops agenda*
The minister made welfare a central theme of his inaugural speech, noting that those who risk their lives daily deserve the best support the country can offer.
“Anybody who is laying down his life for his country deserves to be given the best respect,” he said, pledging swift action to ensure timely operational allowances, proper accommodation, medical care and adequate kits for troops, as well as support for injured officers and bereaved families.
Musa outlined a strategic plan built on three pillars:
Operational effectiveness, unified action across all services
and strategic foresight driven by technology and intelligence.
He promised a thorough review of theatre commands and inter-service operations to eliminate silos, insisting that “once decisions are taken, we must move as one united team.”
Technology and data-driven intelligence, he said, would play a critical role going forward.
“Data, not justp experience, must guide decisions.”
The minister also issued a firm warning against indiscipline, corruption and bureaucratic delays.
“If we make mistakes, we must take necessary action to ensure that we make amends,” he added.
Emphasizing morale as a key driver of military effectiveness, Musa urged both military and civilian staff to take initiative.
He praised the civil service, describing it as “the institutional memory and the framework for our sustainability,” and said he relied on their professionalism to translate defence objectives into actionable policies.
Confident in the nation’s ability to overcome its challenges, he said:
“We are going to continue to hit the ground running. The task ahead is enormous, but so manageable. We can win. We will win.”
*Security Leaders Pledge Support*
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwa, described Musa’s resumption as a significant milestone for the ministry and Nigeria’s wider security framework.
He said staff were fully committed to supporting his leadership, noting that his appointment reflected national confidence in his experience and capacity.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, also welcomed Musa’s arrival, calling it the beginning of a new era of sincerity, unity and collective action for Nigeria’s security agencies.
“We are glad to have him here, and we are looking forward to a more robust approach to solving our challenges,” Oluyede said.
“We must be sincere about our approach and address these issues collectively.”
He added that government support and ministerial willpower would be essential to driving the necessary reforms.
