Defence Minister dismisses resignation rumours, threatens legal action after meeting Tinubu

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

THE Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), on Tuesday said he was “shocked” by reports of his supposed resignation and vowed to sue those responsible for the false information.

Gen. Musa said that he had no idea where the rumours came from.

Responding to questions after meeting behind closed doors with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa, Abuja, the former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, said: “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 denied any discussion of resignation and said the reports were the handiwork of people uncomfortable with the administration’s improving security record.

“Whoever it is, we will take legal action against them. I am sure we will get them.

“He will come and explain who gave him such information,” Musa said.

He described the rumours as a deliberate attempt to undercut public confidence in the administration’s security gains.

“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.

He said the private meeting with the President was a routine security briefing and that Tinubu had expressed satisfaction with the military’s performance.

According to him, “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.”

He also appealed for continued civilian cooperation with security forces, framing it as indispensable to the campaign against terrorism and banditry.

Musa stated, “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.”