Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has dismissed reports claiming he had resigned from office, describing them as false and warning that those responsible would face legal action.
Speaking to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, Musa said he had neither discussed nor contemplated stepping down from his position.
“I am not going anywhere. I have never discussed this. I don’t even know who originated the story,” the minister said.
He added that efforts were already underway to identify those behind the reports.
“Whoever is responsible will face legal action. We are determined to find the person, and they will have to explain the source of such misinformation,” he stated.
Musa arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 3 p.m. and spent more than an hour with the President amid speculation over his continued stay in office.
He attributed the rumours to individuals seeking to undermine public confidence in the government’s efforts to improve security across the country.
According to him, the reports were intended to distract from the progress being made in tackling insecurity.
“I was shocked when I saw the reports. I don’t know where they came from. But there are always people who are unhappy when things begin to improve. Security is getting better, and they want to create a different impression,” he said.
The minister explained that his meeting with President Tinubu was part of the routine security briefings he regularly provides to the President.
He said the President expressed satisfaction with the performance of the armed forces and encouraged them to sustain ongoing operations against terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups.
“I just briefed Mr President on the current security situation, and he is pleased with the progress we are making. We will continue to build on these achievements,” Musa said.
The minister also thanked Nigerians for supporting the security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains vital to the fight against terrorism and banditry.
He noted that defeating insecurity requires a collective effort involving both the military and citizens.
Musa was appointed Minister of Defence by President Tinubu on December 2, 2025, after serving as Chief of Defence Staff from July 2023.