Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office with immediate effect, a development coming at a time the nation is battling heightened insecurity and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a national security emergency.
The resignation was confirmed on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who released details of Badaru’s letter to the President dated December 1.
In the letter, Badaru attributed his decision to step down to serious health challenges, saying he could no longer continue to effectively discharge the demanding responsibilities of overseeing the country’s defence architecture during a period of intensified national security operations.
President Tinubu has accepted the resignation, thanking the 63-year-old former Jigawa State governor for his service, especially during a period marked by rising terrorist attacks, banditry, and nationwide security deployments. The President is expected to forward a new ministerial nominee to the Senate before the end of the week.
Badaru, who served as governor of Jigawa State between 2015 and 2023 before his appointment as Minister of Defence on August 21, 2023, exits the role at a time military operations are being expanded and security agencies have been warned to avoid compromise or collusion in the fight against terror.
His departure adds to the sense of urgency surrounding the government’s security response, coming barely days after Tinubu ordered massive new recruitment into the armed forces and security agencies as part of the national emergency measures.
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