Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office with immediate effect, citing health reasons.
His resignation was formally conveyed in a letter dated December 1 and addressed to President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement released on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu accepted the minister’s resignation and expressed gratitude for his service to the nation during a period of heightened security challenges.
“President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation,” the statement said.
The President is expected to notify the Senate later this week of his preferred candidate to succeed the former minister, in line with constitutional requirements for ministerial appointments.
Badaru, 63, previously served two terms as Governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023 before being appointed Minister of Defence on 21 August 2023.
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His tenure in the defence portfolio coincided with sustained military operations against insurgency, banditry, and other security threats across the country.
His resignation comes at a significant moment, following President Tinubu’s recent declaration of a national security emergency.
The President is expected to outline the full scope of this emergency response strategy in the coming days.
Badaru’s departure marks the first major exit from Tinubu’s cabinet since the President announced new security directives aimed at strengthening coordination across the armed forces and fortifying national defence structures.
The Presidency noted that further updates will be communicated once consultations on his replacement are concluded.
