Nigeria’s defence minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has stepped down from his post, citing health concerns, as the West African nation struggles with rising insecurity that has seen mass kidnappings and attacks by armed groups. The resignation was confirmed by the office of President Bola Tinubu in a statement from his spokesman.
Abubakar had not been seen publicly for several weeks before he formally resigned on December 1, with his letter of departure sent to President Tinubu that same day. The president accepted the resignation and thanked him for his service, particularly during a time when Nigeria is facing mounting security pressures.
The former defence minister had been in office since August 2023, after serving two terms as governor of Jigawa State. His departure comes shortly after the government declared a nationwide security emergency in response to a wave of kidnappings and armed violence across northern regions of the country.
The security emergency was declared in late November following a spate of mass abductions, including more than 200 schoolchildren taken from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria, who remain missing. According to the United Nations, at least 402 people were kidnapped over a short period in mid-November, highlighting the scale of the crisis.
President Tinubu has announced several steps to address the worsening security situation. His administration plans to recruit 50,000 new police officers, expand army enlistment, and reassign police officers previously assigned to VIP protection back to frontline duties. Forest guards and other security personnel are also being deployed to disrupt armed gangs known locally as bandits.
The government’s security strategy has drawn both domestic and international attention. Nigeria is battling multiple forms of violence, including mass kidnappings by criminal networks and attacks by Islamist militants in the north, while analysts point to broader challenges including weak governance and economic hardship that fuel insecurity.
In a move to stabilize leadership at the defence ministry, President Tinubu has nominated retired General Christopher Musa, who most recently served as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, to take over as the new minister of defence. Musa’s nomination is expected to be reviewed by the Senate in line with constitutional procedures.
The resignation of the defence minister and the leadership change come at a time when Nigeria’s security apparatus is under sharp scrutiny, as armed groups continue to exploit weak state presence in some regions and carry out high-profile kidnappings and raids.