Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, has resigned from his position, citing health-related reasons. The resignation was confirmed in a statement on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Badaru, a former two-term Governor of Jigawa State, served as Defence Minister since August 2023. President Bola Tinubu has accepted his resignation and expressed gratitude for his service to the nation.
The resignation comes amid heightened security concerns and follows recent criticism of Badaru’s handling of defence matters, including controversial remarks about limitations in targeting terrorist hideouts.
In a related development, there are growing calls for the removal of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle. Reports indicate that the United States has insisted on the replacement of both ministers before moving forward with proposed security collaborations with Nigeria.
Sources reveal that this diplomatic stance was communicated during recent engagements between Nigerian and U.S. officials, including a visit by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to Washington. The U.S. recently redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of religious freedom violations, though Nigerian officials have contested this characterization.
It is widely speculated that former Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa may be nominated as Badaru’s successor. General Musa met with President Tinubu earlier on Monday, fueling expectations of his imminent appointment.
President Tinubu is expected to notify the Senate of the new ministerial nomination later this week as part of ongoing efforts to restructure the nation’s security architecture and address pressing challenges.
