Nigeria’s Senate has confirmed the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, as the Minister of Defence.
Musa was nominated on Tuesday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the resignation of Defence Minister, Badaru Mohammed, on health grounds.
Before confirming Musa on Wednesday via a voice vote, the Senate subjected the General to a rigorous five-hour screening session in which lawmakers asked him many questions.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who at the beginning of the session rejected a bow-and-go proposal for the nominee, said Musa created a record by being the longest and most grilled nominee to appear before the Upper Chamber since 1999.
The screening lasted approximately five hours.
Rejecting senators calling on the former Chief of Defence Staff to “bow and go,” Akpabio said US President Donald Trump was putting pressure on Nigeria, insisting that Musa must therefore be properly grilled.
Akpabio warned: “This is not the time for politics of ‘bow and go’. Even Donald Trump is on our neck. We’ve not asked him what his response will be to Donald Trump.
“A nominee for Minister of Defence, and you stand up and say he should take a bow and go, with so many questions on the mouths of Nigerians and over 200 children still in the bush and being tortured? Let’s give the man the opportunity to give Nigerians hope.”
Musa, who retired barely 40 days ago, was nominated by President Bola Tinubu as the Defence Minister on Tuesday.
During the confirmation hearing, Musa faced tough questions on recent security lapses, including the withdrawal of troops from Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, which occurred shortly before the abduction of schoolgirls on November 17, a development that sparked national outrage.
Musa assured the Senate that he would immediately launch a full-scale investigation into the troop withdrawal once he assumes office, pledging to take decisive steps to strengthen the nation’s security framework.
He also vowed to probe the recent killing of a brigade commander in Borno State, Brigadier General Musa Uba, along with other attacks targeting military officers.
Musa stated, “It is very unfortunate and really painful. I want to assure Nigerians that we will not stand by and have terrorists have the capacity to do such. We are going to go after them fully, working together with all the security agencies and ministries, departments, and agencies (of government). We are going to investigate fully.”
