Nigerian Senators have begun the screening of Christopher Musa, the newly nominated Minister of Defence.
Mr Musa, a retired general and immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), was escorted to the Senate chamber by the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Bashir Lado, alongside several other retired military officers.
The screening commenced around 2:10 p.m., following a motion by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele to admit the nominee in line with the Senate’s standing rules.
The session is being presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the Committee of the Whole.
Mr Musa is familiar to the National Assembly, having appeared before lawmakers in 2023 during his nomination as CDS.
Upon welcoming him, Mr Akpabio urged the nominee to contribute his expertise to tackling the country’s escalating security challenges, should his confirmation be approved.
At the podium, Mr Musa described the bandits terrorising Nigeria as “evil forces with no regard for human life.”
He called on citizens to unite against insecurity and emphasised the need to strengthen border security to prevent foreign infiltration.
As of the filing of this report, the screening was ongoing, with senators questioning Mr Musa on various national security issues.
President Bola Tinubu nominated Mr Musa on Tuesday to succeed Mohammed Abubakar, who resigned from the Defence Ministry on Monday.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed that Mr Musa’s nomination was transmitted to the Senate in accordance with constitutional requirements.
Mr Musa served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025.