Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office with immediate effect; a dramatic exit coming just days after he publicly claimed that “bandits are hiding in thick forests where bombs cannot reach them,” a remark that stirred backlash across the country.
Badaru’s resignation was conveyed in a letter dated December 1, 2025 and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He cited health grounds as the reason for stepping down.
The Presidency, in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed that President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and expressed appreciation for Badaru’s service.
The President is expected to forward a name to the Senate for confirmation later this week, as the administration races to fill a sensitive portfolio at a time the nation is battling escalating insecurity.
Badaru, 63, a former two-term governor of Jigawa State (2015–2023), was appointed Minister of Defence on August 21, 2023. His exit comes at a critical moment, just as President Tinubu has declared a national security emergency, with further details on its scope expected soon.
Although the official explanation points to health concerns, his departure is already fuelling speculation, given the timing and the storm generated by his recent remarks on the limitations of airstrikes against bandit hideouts.
Whether coincidence or consequence, the Defence Ministry now enters another transition at a time many Nigerians are demanding stronger leadership in the country’s war against terror.
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