Profile: New Chief Of Defence Staff

Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa is the new Chief of Defence Staff. He replaces General Lucky Irabor.

The follows the removal of all service chief by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday.

Musa was born on 25 December 1967 in Sokoto. He is from Zango Kataf, Kaduna State. He was a member of the 38th Infantry Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy and was commissioned on 21 September 1991.

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CIVIL EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Musa attended Marafa Danbaba Primary School Sokoto, 1974–1978; Model Primary School Dorowa Road Sokoto, 1978–1980.
He also attended the Vocational Training Centre Gaummi, Sokoto, 1980–1981; the Federal Government College, Sokoto, 1981–1985; College of Advanced Studies, Zaria, 1985-1986.

Between 1986-1990, the Chief of Defence Staff obtained BSc Hons-(Chn), Nigerian Defence Academy; Advanced Diploma in Security Management, University of Lagos, 2007 –2008; MSc (Mil Science), International College of Defence Studies- National Defence University Changing, Beijing China, 2012–2013.

MILITARY/CIVIL COURSES ATTENDED

He attended the Nigerian Defence Academy as member of the 38th RC- 21 September 1991; Mechanical Transportation Officers Course, 1992; Young Officers Course (Infantry), 1993; Regimental Signal Officers Course, 1998; Junior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, 2000; Senior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, 2004–2005; Advanced Diploma in Defence and Strategies Course (China), International
College of Defense Studies National Defense University (ICDS-NDU), ChangPing China, 2013; MSc (Military Science), ICDS-BDU (China), 2013; National Defence College at ICDS (China), 2013; Combined Joint Land Component Commander’s Course on Leadership at the US Army War College, 2017.

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APPOINTMENTS HELD

He was at different times Platoon Commander at 192 Bn, 1991; Intelligence Officer at 192 Bn, 1993- 1994; Administrative Officer at 2 Division Camp (Garrison), 1995-1999; Pioneer Adjutant 195 Bn, 2000; Operations Officer-NIBATT 8 UNAMSIL, 2001–2002; 195 Bn 2ic, 2002–2003; 149 Bn 2ic, 2005–2006; General Staff Officer 1 Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division, 2006–2007; Commanding Officer 73 Bn, 2007–2009; Assistant Director Operational Requirement at Department of Army Policy and Plans, 2009–2011; Infantry Representative/Member Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps, 2011– 2012; Deputy Chief of Staff Training/Operations at HQ Infantry Centre and Corp, 2013–2014; Chief of Staff at HQ 2 Division, 2014–2015; Commandant Depot Nigerian Army 2015– 2017; Principal Staff Officer (Combat Arms) at Army HQ Department of Projects and Programmes, 2017.
Pioneer Executive Director Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Ltd, 2017; Commander 82 Division Task Force Brigade OP LAST HOLD in the North East, 2018; Commander Sector 3 OP LAFIYA DOLE, 2019; Comd Sect 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Tchad Region, 2019; Chief of General Duties TRADOC, 2019–2020; Director Campaign Planning AHQ DATOPs, 2020; Director Training AHQ-DATOPs, 2020; Senior Research Fellow, Nigerian Army Research Centre, 2021; Theatre Comd JTF (NE) Op HADIN KAI, 2021 till date.

OPERATIONS ATTENDED

He attended the following operations:

OP MESA.
OP SECOND HEAVEN.
OP FOCUS RELIEF, (Joint Training/Ops with the US Troops), 2000.
United Nation Mission in Sierra Leone, 2001–2002; OP HAKURI, 2002-2003.
OP SAFE CONDUCT, 2007.
OP RESTORE HOPE, 2007-2008.
OP SAFE CONDUCT, 2015.
OP AYAM APATUMEH, 2018.
OP LAST HOLD, 2018.
OP LAFIYA DOLE, 2019.
Multi-National Joint Task Force Lake Tchad, 2019.
OP KANTANA JIMLAM, 2020.
JTF (NE) Op HADIN KAI, 2021 till date.

HONOURS/AWARDS

The new Chief of Defence Staff received the following honours and awards:

BSc Hons (Chn) NDA, 1990.
UNAMSIL Medal, 2002.
Passed Staff Course (psc), 2004–2005.
Forces Service Star, 2003.
Meritorious Service Star, 2009.
Distinguished Service Star, 2015.
Member Nigerian Institute of Management, 2008.
Advance Diploma in Security Management, Unilag, 2008.
Member Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security, 2008.
General Operation Medal, 2009.
Command Medal (CO 73 Bn), 2009.
Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award, 2009.
Silver Jubilee Medal, 2010.
Meritorious Service Award, 2012.
Fellow-NDU (ICDS-NDU)-ChangPing China, 2013.
Masters in Military Science at the ICDS-NDU, China, 2013.
Diploma in Defense and Strategy, ICDS-NDU China, 2013.
Centenary Medal, 2014.
Distinguished Service Star, 2016.
Training Support Medal, 2017.
OP LAST HOLD Medal, 2018.
OP LAFIYA DOLE Medal, 2019.
MN JTF Medal, 2021.
Grand Service Star (GSS), 21 Sep 21.
Field Commander Medal of Honour (FCMH), Jun 2021 – till date.
Operation HADIN KAI Medal (OPHK), Jun 21 – till date.

The Chief of Defence Staff is married to Mrs Lilian Oghogho Musa and blessed with four children.

His hobby is Service to Humanity.