By Ebiere Kekeboro
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, has stepped down from office at a time the country is contending with a worrying resurgence 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 announcement, Badaru tendered a formal resignation letter to the President, who accepted it and praised his contribution to the administration.
Presidency sources linked his departure to health-related concerns.
Rising violence amplifies public anxiety
Badaru’s exit comes against the backdrop of mounting security crises in the North. In recent weeks, kidnappers seized 25 students in Kebbi State and abducted about 300 students in Niger State, incidents that have deepened public unease and intensified criticism of the government’s handling of national security.
Communities in Sokoto, Kogi and Kwara states have also suffered fresh bandit incursions, adding to concerns about the federal government’s capacity to rein in the escalating violence.
Before his resignation, Badaru told the BBC that security forces were working “day and night” to tackle the renewed wave of school kidnappings and other criminal activities, insisting that efforts were underway to stem the surge.
His departure now raises fresh questions about the direction of Nigeria’s security strategy, as the Tinubu administration confronts one of its most pressing challenges yet.