President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and expressed gratitude for Abubakar’s service to the nation. The President is expected to announce a successor to the Senate later this week.
Badaru Abubakar, 63, served as Governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023 before being appointed Defence Minister on August 21, 2023. His resignation comes as President Tinubu declared a national security emergency, with further details on its scope to be revealed in due course.
Nigeria has faced rising insecurity, including abductions and killings. Earlier, Tinubu met with Christopher Musa, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, though it remains unclear if this is related to the vacancy at the Defence Ministry.
Reports suggest that Badaru’s resignation may be linked to pressure from the United States, which reportedly requested the removal of both Abubakar and Matawalle as a condition for collaboration with Nigeria on counterterrorism and anti-banditry efforts.