Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), on Tuesday dismissed reports that he had resigned from office, describing them as false and malicious. He also vowed to take legal action against those behind the rumours, insisting that he had never discussed stepping down from his position.
Musa spoke with State House correspondents shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The minister, who arrived at the Villa at about 3 p.m. and left more than an hour later, said he was surprised by the reports circulating on social media and other platforms claiming that he had resigned.
He made it clear that he remained fully committed to his duties and had the confidence of President Tinubu.
“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.
The rumour had spread widely earlier on Tuesday, with claims that the Defence Minister had either resigned or was about to leave office. The reports generated public discussion, especially at a time when the Federal Government is intensifying efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.
However, Musa firmly rejected the claims and warned that those responsible for spreading what he described as false information would be held accountable.
“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,” he added.
The Defence Minister said he was shocked when he first came across the reports, insisting that there had been no conversation with anyone about resigning from office.
According to him, the rumours were designed to create doubt in the minds of Nigerians and distract attention from what he described as the progress being made in the fight against insecurity.
“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,” he said.
He argued that the country’s security situation has continued to improve in recent months and suggested that some people were uncomfortable with the gains being recorded by the military and other security agencies.
“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,” Musa stated.
Clarifying the purpose of his meeting with President Tinubu, the minister explained that it was a routine security briefing where he updated the President on developments across the country.
He dismissed suggestions that the meeting had anything to do with his future in office.
According to Musa, President Tinubu expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the Armed Forces and encouraged the security agencies to sustain the momentum against terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups.
“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.
The Defence Minister also used the opportunity to thank Nigerians for supporting the military in its operations across different parts of the country.
He stressed that defeating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes cannot be achieved by the military alone.
Instead, he said success depends on cooperation between security agencies and the public through intelligence sharing, vigilance and community support.
“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,” Musa said.
The minister’s remarks come at a time when the Federal Government has repeatedly maintained that security operations are producing positive results despite continuing attacks in some parts of the country.
Over the past year, the military has intensified operations against terrorist groups in the North-East, bandits in the North-West and North-Central, as well as separatist violence in parts of the South-East. Security agencies have also continued to carry out joint operations targeting kidnappers and criminal gangs operating along major highways and rural communities.
Although attacks still occur in several states, government officials have consistently argued that many criminal camps have been dismantled, several kidnapped victims rescued and large quantities of weapons recovered during military operations.
The administration has also continued to invest in new military equipment, intelligence gathering and collaboration among the armed forces, police and other security agencies as part of efforts to improve national security.
Musa has been one of the leading officials coordinating the government’s defence strategy since his appointment.
Before becoming Minister of Defence, he served as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff after he was appointed to the position in July 2023. During his tenure as the country’s highest-ranking military officer, he coordinated operations involving the Army, Navy and Air Force against terrorist groups, bandits and other criminal elements.
President Tinubu later nominated him as Minister of Defence on December 2, 2025, as part of changes in his cabinet aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture.
Since assuming office, Musa has repeatedly appealed to Nigerians to support security agencies by providing timely information and avoiding the spread of false or misleading reports capable of creating unnecessary panic.
His latest reaction to the resignation rumour underscores the government’s determination to challenge misinformation, especially on issues relating to national security and governance.
By threatening legal action against those responsible for the false reports, the Defence Minister has signalled that the government will not treat such claims lightly.
His assurance that he remains in office and continues to enjoy the confidence of President Tinubu is also expected to put to rest speculation over his future in the administration.