Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office with immediate effect, plunging the nation’s security leadership into a sudden shift at a critical moment.
In a letter dated December 1 and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the 63-year-old former Jigawa State governor said he was stepping down due to health challenges.
President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and expressed appreciation for Badaru’s service. A new minister is expected to be announced later this week, pending presidential communication to the Senate.
Badaru, who served as governor of Jigawa from 2015 to 2023, was appointed Defence Minister on August 21, 2023. His exit comes just as President Tinubu recently declared a national security emergency, with details of the administration’s next steps expected soon.
The announcement was made on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
