Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned from office with immediate effect, according to a statement released by the Presidency on Monday.

In a letter dated December 1 and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Abubakar stated that he was stepping down on health grounds. President Tinubu has accepted his resignation and expressed appreciation for his service to the nation.
The President is expected to notify the Senate of a successor later this week.

Abubakar, 63, served as the Governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023. He was appointed Minister of Defence on August 21, 2023, by President Tinubu.
His resignation comes at a time when President Tinubu has declared a national security emergency, with further details on the scope of the directive expected to be announced soon.
The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on December 1, 2025.