Rabiu M. Hamza
Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, has resigned from his position, citing health reasons...
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development in a statement released on Monday.
In his resignation letter, Badaru reportedly cited poor health as the reason for stepping down.
“President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week.
“His resignation comes amid President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course,” the statement added.
Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked the minister for his service to the nation.
A former two-term governor of Jigawa State (2015–2023), Badaru was appointed defence minister on August 21, 2023.
His tenure recently drew criticism after an interview with BBC Hausa Service, in which he said some terrorists could not be attacked because their forest hideouts were too dense for bombs to reach.
Badaru said, “In this kind of war, from time to time, there will be relief; sometimes they will do something that will shock everyone on the ground, although I have heard some say that their whereabouts are known and who they are.
“It is true that their whereabouts are known, but they are people you cannot attack, or they are in the forests where our bombs cannot reach them.
“I assure you that our soldiers are working day and night to see how they can deal with this.”
The comments sparked backlash, including from The PUNCH Editorial Board, which described them as “confusing, contradictory and self-deprecatory”.
The PUNCH Newspapers editorial on Monday titled, “Badaru is unfit, sack him,” strongly criticised his handling of security and argued that the minister’s statement exposed weaknesses in Nigeria’s military strategy and intelligence operations.
The editorial partly read, “The minister’s pitiable comments are defeatist at best and demoralising to troops on the frontline.
“Badaru must resign or be fired. President Bola Tinubu cannot afford to sacrifice national security on the altar of political patronage.
“It helps if a defence minister has a military background. This should be considered in making new appointments.”
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Security analysts have long highlighted the persistence of banditry, abductions and insurgency in parts of Northern Nigeria, arguing that leadership and technological shortcomings hinder effective military response.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has estimated that terrorists have killed over 100,000 Nigerians and displaced more than two million.
Badaru’s resignation comes as the Federal Government implements a national security emergency, with further details expected in the coming days.
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