Accomplished infantry officer: Meet the new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj Gen Christopher Musa

President Bola Tinubu on Monday, dismissed all the service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police and immediately approved the appointment of new ones, with the IGP in office in acting capacity until confirmation by the National Assembly.

Major General C.G. Musa was appointed the new Chief of Defencee Staff, while Major General T.A. Lagbaja became the new Chief of Army Staff. The president equally approved the appointment of Rear Admiral E.I. Ogalla as the new Chief of Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal H.B. Abubakar as the new Chief of Air Staff.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun also became the Acting Inspector General of Police.

WesternPost looks at the profile of the new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa.

Birth and early life

Christopher Gwabin Musa, the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff, was born on December 25, 1967, in Sokoto. Hailing from Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State, Musa spent his formative years in Sokoto, where he developed a strong foundation for his future endeavors.

Education

Musa’s educational journey started at Marafa Danbaba Primary School in Sokoto, where he attended from 1974 to 1978. He then continued his studies at Model Primary School Dorowa Road Sokoto from 1978 to 1980. Seeking further education, Musa enrolled at the Vocational Training Centre in Gaummi, Sokoto, from 1980 to 1981.

Musa went to Federal Government College in Sokoto, where he completed his secondary education from 1981 to 1985. He further pursued higher studies at the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria from 1985 to 1986.

Joined Nigeria Army

Musa’s passion for military service led him to the Nigerian Defence Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in 1990, specializing in Infantry.

Commissioned on September 21, 1991, Musa officially joined the Nigeria Army, embarking on a distinguished career in the military. He proudly served as a member of the 38th Infantry Course Nigerian Defence Army, demonstrating his commitment to protecting his nation.

Military courses attended

Throughout his career, Musa has constantly sought to enhance his military expertise by attending various courses. Notable among these are his participation in the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 38th Regular Course, Mechanical Transportation Officers Course in 1992, Young Officers Course (Infantry) in 1993, and Regimental Signal Officers Course in 1998. Additionally, he completed the Junior Course and the Senior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji in 2000 and 2004-2005, respectively.

Additionally, he pursued advanced studies, including an Advanced Diploma in Security Management from the University of Lagos in 2007-2008.

Musa’s dedication to professional development also took him overseas, where he engaged in the Advanced Diploma in Defence and Strategies Course at the International College of Defense Studies, National Defense University in ChangPing, China in 2013. He obtained his Master of Science in Military Science from the same institution in 2013, solidifying his knowledge and skills in military strategy and leadership. Musa’s thirst for knowledge led him to the National Defence College at ICDS in China in 2013, where he further expanded his understanding of defense and security matters. Furthermore, he honed his leadership abilities by completing the Combined Joint Land Component Commander’s Course on Leadership at the US Army War College in 2017.

Positions held and operations led

Over the course of his career, Musa has held various influential positions within the Nigerian Army, displaying his exceptional leadership qualities. He started as a Platoon Commander at 192 Bn in 1991 and served as an Intelligence Officer at the same battalion from 1993 to 1994. Musa’s administrative acumen led to his appointment as the Administrative Officer at 2 Div Camp (Garrison) from 1995 to 1999.

Throughout the years, Musa demonstrated his dedication to service by assuming several key roles. These included being a Pioneer Adjutant at 195 Bn in 2000, Operations Officer at NIBATT 8 UNAMSIL from 2001 to 2002, and 2ic (Second-in-Command) at both 195 Bn (2002-2003) and 149 Bn (2005-2006). Musa’s capabilities were further recognized with his appointment as the General Staff Officer 1 Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division from 2006 to 2007 and as the Commanding Officer of 73 Bn from 2007 to 2009.

His expertise extended beyond the field as he assumed crucial staff positions. These included serving as the Assistant Director of Operational Requirement at the Department of Army Policy and Plans from 2009 to 2011, Infantry Representative/Member of the Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps from 2011 to 2012, and Deputy Chief of Staff Training/Operations at HQ Infantry Centre and Corps from 2013 to 2014.

He was appointed as the Chief of Staff at HQ 2 Division from 2014 to 2015 and as the Commandant of Depot Nigerian Army from 2015 to 2017. He subsequently served as the Principal Staff Officer (Combat Arms) at Army HQ Department of Projects and Programs in 2017, pioneer Executive Director of Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Ltd in the same year, and Commander of 82 Division Task Force Brigade OP LAST HOLD in the North East in 2018.

His operational experience continued to expand as Musa took on critical roles such as Commander of Sector 3 in OP LAFIYA DOLE in 2019 and Commander of Sector 3 in the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region, also in 2019. He served as Chief of General Duties at TRADOC from 2019 to 2020 and held directorial positions, including Director of Campaign Planning at AHQ DATOPs and Director of Training at AHQ-DATOPs, both in 2020. In 2021, Musa took on the role of Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Army Research Centre before assuming the position of Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force (Northeast) Operation HADIN KAI, where he was until his appointment as CDS.

Honors and awards

Throughout his illustrious career, Musa has been honored with numerous accolades, recognizing his exceptional service and achievements. These include his BSc Hons (Chn) from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1990, the UNAMSIL Medal in 2002, the Passed Staff Course (psc) in 2004-2005, the Forces Service Star in 2003, and the Meritorious Service Star in 2009. Musa’s dedication to his profession was further acknowledged with the Distinguished Service Star in 2015.

Musa’s commitment to excellence extends to professional affiliations, as he is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management since 2008 and the Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security since 2008. His contributions have been recognized through various commendations, including the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award in 2009. He was also awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal in 2010 and the Centenary Medal in 2014.

In addition to his military honors, Musa has been bestowed with the Training Support Medal in 2017 and the OP LAST HOLD Medal in 2018. He was recognized for his outstanding service in OP LAFIYA DOLE with the OP LAFIYA DOLE Medal in 2019 and with the MNJTF Medal in 2021. Furthermore, Musa has been decorated with the Grand Service Star (GSS) on September 21, 2021, the Field Commander Medal of Honour (FCMH) in June 2021, and the Operation HADIN KAI Medal (OPHK) from June 2021 until the present.

Personal life and hobbies

Musa is married to Mrs. Lilian Oghogho Musa, and together they are blessed with four children. Musa’s hobbies reflect his deep-seated commitment to service and include engaging in activities that contribute to the betterment of humanity.