Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa (retd.) has dismissed widespread reports claiming he resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, describing them as false and warning that those responsible will face legal action.
Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa (retd.) has firmly denied reports alleging that he resigned from office, describing the claims as false, malicious and completely unfounded.
Speaking to State House correspondents on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Musa said he was shocked by the reports circulating on social media and vowed to institute legal proceedings against those responsible for spreading the information.
“I Am Not Going Anywhere”
Addressing the speculation directly, the Defence Minister insisted that he had never discussed resigning from office.
“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,” Musa said.
He added that those behind the reports would be compelled to explain the source of the false claims.
“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.”
Rumours Intended to Undermine Security Gains, Says Minister
Musa suggested that the resignation rumours were deliberately circulated by individuals seeking to undermine public confidence in the Federal Government’s security efforts.
According to him, recent improvements in security operations have unsettled some critics of the administration.
“We are surprised. I was shocked when I saw that. I don’t know where that came from,” he said.
He added that some people were unhappy with the progress being recorded against insecurity and were attempting to create a false narrative.
Meeting With Tinubu Focused on Security
The minister explained that his visit to the Presidential Villa was purely to brief President Tinubu on the country’s current security situation.
According to Musa, the President expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the armed forces and encouraged security agencies to sustain ongoing operations against terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities.
“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 said.
Ministry Had Earlier Debunked the Reports
Before Musa’s appearance at the Presidential Villa, the Ministry of Defence had already dismissed the viral reports through an official statement issued by the minister’s media office.
The ministry described the resignation reports as “malicious, fabricated and entirely false,” urging Nigerians to disregard them and verify information from credible sources before sharing it online.
Legal Action Looms
Musa’s latest comments indicate that the government may now pursue legal remedies against individuals or platforms responsible for originating and circulating the false reports.
However, the minister did not disclose the identities of those he believes were responsible or indicate when legal proceedings would commence.
Christopher Musa, a former Chief of Defence Staff, was appointed Minister of Defence by President Tinubu in December 2025.
The resignation rumours gained traction on social media earlier this week before being denied by both the Ministry of Defence and the minister himself.
His latest remarks are expected to put to rest speculation surrounding his continued service in the Federal Executive Council.