The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from his position with immediate effect, citing health grounds. His resignation, submitted to President Bola Tinubu on Monday, December 1, 2025, comes amid the President’s recent declaration of a nationwide security emergency aimed at tackling escalating insecurity and mass kidnappings.
The resignation is part of a broader shake-up in the security apparatus, signalling the government’s renewed urgency to reinforce its organs of state defence and internal security.
Key Details of the Resignation
- Former Minister: Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, 63.
- Reason Cited: Health grounds, stating he could no longer serve at the required pace.
- Date of Resignation: December 1, 2025.
- Previous Role: Served two terms as Governor of Jigawa State (2015–2023) and was appointed Defence Minister on August 21, 2023.
President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked the former Minister for his contributions to national security. The Presidency is expected to announce and forward a replacement nominee to the Senate for screening and confirmation later this week.
The timing of the Defence Minister’s departure is highly sensitive, occurring just days after President Tinubu declared a “nationwide security emergency.” That declaration included massive recruitment drives for the Nigerian Police Force and the Armed Forces, as well as the immediate deployment of trained forest guards to combat bandits in the nation’s forests.
The resignation follows an earlier high-level military leadership shake-up in October 2025, which saw the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Service Chiefs replaced. The removal of the Minister of Defence is a significant step, opening the door for the President to appoint a successor who will be tasked with executing the new, aggressive security strategy under the declared emergency measures.
