iDeemlawfulNigeria’s Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, has stepped down from his role, attributing his resignation to health-related concerns.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Monday.
In his resignation letter, Badaru reportedly pointed to deteriorating health as the reason for leaving office.
“President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week.
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“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 minister’s departure and expressed appreciation for his contributions while in office.
A former two-term governor of Jigawa State (2015–2023), Badaru assumed office as defence minister on August 21, 2023.
His tenure recently came under fire following a BBC Hausa Service interview in which he suggested that some terrorists could not be struck because their forest enclaves were too dense for aerial attacks.
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 remarks triggered widespread criticism, with many describing them as “confusing, contradictory and self-deprecatory”.
An earlier PUNCH report on Monday titled, “Badaru is unfit, sack him,” sharply criticised his management of security matters, arguing that his comments displayed weaknesses in the country’s military approach and intelligence structure.
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.”
Security experts have repeatedly pointed to the persistence of banditry, mass abductions and insurgency across parts of Northern Nigeria, stressing that leadership gaps and inadequate technology continue to weaken military effectiveness.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has estimated that over 100,000 Nigerians have been killed by terrorists, with more than two million displaced.
Badaru’s exit comes as the Federal Government operationalises a national security emergency, with additional measures expected to be unveiled soon.
