Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office at a time the nation is grappling with renewed waves of banditry, mass abductions, and violent attacks across several northern states.
His resignation was confirmed late Monday in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity. According to the statement, Badaru submitted a formal resignation letter to the President, who accepted it and commended him for his service.
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Presidency sources attributed his departure to health-related concerns.
Badaru’s exit follows intensified security challenges, including the kidnapping of 25 students in Kebbi State and the abduction of about 300 students in Niger State — incidents that have heightened public pressure on the Tinubu administration.
Bandit attacks have also been recorded in parts of Sokoto, Kogi and Kwara states, further fueling concerns about the government’s ability to curb the mounting violence.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Badaru maintained that security agencies were working “day and night” to confront the resurgence of school kidnappings and other criminal activities.
In the past week alone:
Armed men reportedly kidnapped at least 10 people, including a bride and her companions, in Sokoto State.
A pastor and his wife were abducted during an attack in Kogi State.
Three officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service were killed at a checkpoint in Katsina State.
The surge in violence comes amid diplomatic tensions following U.S. President Donald Trump’s allegation that Christians were being targeted in Nigeria, with Washington warning it could take direct action if Abuja failed to respond adequately.
To counter the claims, the Nigerian government dispatched a high-level delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to the United States, stressing that insecurity affects citizens of all faiths.
Badaru, a two-term former governor of Jigawa State, was appointed Minister of Defence in August 2023. He studied accounting at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and is an alumnus of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru.