Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office in a move that has sent ripples through the country’s political and security circles. His exit—effective immediately—comes at a time when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has just declared a national security emergency, heightening the significance of this abrupt development.

Badaru, 63, tendered his resignation in a letter dated December 1, citing health grounds as the reason for stepping down. President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and publicly expressed gratitude for the former minister’s service to the nation. The President is expected to transmit the name of Badaru’s successor to the Senate later this week.

A former two-term governor of Jigawa State (2015–2023), Badaru was appointed Defence Minister on August 21, 2023, and became a key figure in the administration’s security apparatus. His tenure coincided with some of the most challenging phases of Nigeria’s security landscape—from insurgency and banditry to rising geopolitical tensions across northern borders.

Although the statement from the Presidency simply attributes his resignation to health concerns, the timing has inevitably fueled public interest. Coming just as the President unveils an unprecedented security emergency framework, the development leaves a vacuum in one of the most sensitive portfolios in government.

The Presidency has not yet disclosed who will take charge of the Defence Ministry, but expectations are high for a swift and strategic appointment given the evolving security climate.

The statement announcing Badaru’s departure was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.