Badaru Steps Down As Defence Minister, Fresh Details Emerge

Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has officially resigned from his position.

This announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy.

According to Onanuga, Abubakar’s resignation was detailed in a letter dated December 1, in which he cited “health grounds” as the reason for his departure.

President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and expressed gratitude for Abubakar’s contributions to the nation. It is anticipated that the president will inform the Senate about the appointment of Abubakar’s successor later this week.

Badaru Abubakar, aged 63, previously served as the governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023, before being appointed as the Defence Minister on August 21, 2023.

His resignation comes at a critical time as President Tinubu has declared a national security emergency, with plans to provide further details on the situation in the near future.

Nigeria has been grappling with significant insecurity issues, particularly related to abductions and killings.

President Tinubu recently met with Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff, raising questions about whether this meeting is connected to the vacancy in the Defence Ministry.