Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has officially resigned citing health reasons. His resignation, delivered in a letter dated December 1, 2025 to President Bola Tinubu, was accepted with immediate effect.
In his resignation letter, Badaru told the President that deteriorating health made it untenable for him to continue in office.
The official statement from the presidency, issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that the President accepted the resignation and thanked Badaru for his service. The administration said a Senate notification for a successor would follow later this week.
Badaru had served as Defence Minister since August 21, 2023 — after having been a two-term governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023.
His resignation comes at a fraught time for Nigeria’s security situation. Just days before the resignation, President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency in response to a surge in insurgency, banditry, kidnappings and communal violence.
The timing has sparked wide speculation that the resignation may be more than just health-related. Many analysts highlight that during his tenure, Badaru faced heavy criticism over what was viewed as weak leadership of the armed forces — especially after commented publicly that some terrorists “cannot be attacked” because they hide in forests “where bombs cannot reach,” remarks widely condemned as demoralizing to frontline troops.
Badaru’s Possible Replacement
According to Saharareporters.com, the leading candidates to take over the defence ministry is retired Christopher Gwabin Musa, a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Reports indicate that Musa met with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Monday, a few hours before Badaru’s resignation letter was submitted — fuelling speculation that Musa could be appointed as the new Defence Minister.
Musa, was relieved of his CDS role in late October 2025 in a prior military leadership overhaul. He however has decades of experience in military leadership and direct counter-insurgency operations across Nigeria’s northeast.
