Defence minister denies resignation rumours, vows legal action against peddlers ,ABUJA – Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has dismissed reports alleging that he had resigned from office, describing them as false and vowing to take legal action against those responsible for spreading the rumours.Speaking with journalists on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Musa said he was shocked by the reports and had never discussed resigning from his position.“I am not going anywhere.
I have never discussed this. I don’t even know who the person is that brought that information. But whoever it is, we will take legal action against them,” the minister said.Musa arrived at the Aso Rock Villa at about 3 p.m. and left shortly after 4 p.m., amid widespread speculation about his continued stay in office.He maintained that there had been no discussion about his resignation, insisting that the reports were the handiwork of individuals unhappy with the administration’s improving security situation.“We are surprised. I was shocked when I saw that. I don’t know where that came from. But you always expect that there will be people who will not be happy when things are going well.“Security is improving, things are getting better, and for them, that is a sad point. They always want to make it look as if it is not so,” he said.The minister explained that his meeting with President Tinubu was a routine security briefing during which the President expressed satisfaction with the military’s performance in tackling insecurity.“I just came back from briefing Mr. President on the current security situation, and he is very happy with us. We are going to continue doing well,” Musa stated.He also appealed to Nigerians to sustain their support for the armed forces, stressing that defeating terrorism, banditry and other security threats requires a collective effort.“I want to seize this opportunity to appreciate Nigerians for all the support.
The support has been massive. To defeat the terrorists and the bandits is a whole-of-society approach. Nigerians have keyed into it, and things are getting better, and they will continue to improve,” he added.Musa was appointed Minister of Defence by President Tinubu in December 2025 after serving as the Chief of Defence Staff from July 2023.
Joseph Akwagiobe is a media contributor from Cross River State, Nigeria, currently based in Abuja. He is a graduate of Microbiology and has earned several professional certifications across diverse fields, reflecting his commitment to continuous learning, professional growth, and excellence.