Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office, bringing an abrupt end to his two-year tenure in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
In a letter dated December 1 and addressed to President Tinubu, Badaru said he was stepping down on health grounds. The President accepted the resignation and expressed appreciation for his service, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The Presidency is expected to forward the name of a replacement to the Senate later this week.
Badaru, 63, previously served two terms as governor of Jigawa State between 2015 and 2023 before he was appointed Defence Minister on August 21, 2023.
His exit comes at a delicate moment for the administration, following President Tinubu’s recent declaration of a national security emergency, with details of the plan expected to be unveiled soon.
