Christopher Musa Biography, Wife, Net Worth, Religion

New Chief Of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa Biography, Age, Wife, Net Worth, Houses, Cars, Children

General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR, is a senior Nigerian Army officer. He was born on 25 December 1967 in Sokoto, which was part of the old North-Western State, now Sokoto State, Nigeria. He comes from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area in Southern Kaduna State.

He is the 18th and current Chief of Defence Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him to the position on 19 June 2023. Before this appointment, he replaced General Lucky Irabor in the role.

Early Life and Education

Musa spent his early years in Sokoto. He began his primary education in 1974 at Marafa Danbaba Primary School, Sokoto. In 1978, he moved to Model Primary School, Dorowa Road, Sokoto, and completed his primary education there in 1980.

Afterwards, he attended the Vocational Training Centre in Gaummi, Sokoto, between 1980 and 1981. In 1981, he was admitted to the Federal Government College, Sokoto, where he completed his O’ Level in 1985. While in school, he joined the National Cadet Corps.

In 1985, he attended the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria, where he studied until 1986. That same year, he gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna. He was a member of the 38th Regular Course and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 21 September 1991.

Military Training and Courses

After his commissioning, Musa took several professional courses. He attended the Mechanical Transportation Officers Course in 1992 and the Young Officers Course (Infantry) in 1993. In 1998, he completed the Regimental Signal Officers Course.

He also attended the Junior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in 2000. Between 2004 and 2005, he completed the Senior Course at the same institution.

Musa continued his education at the University of Lagos, where he earned an Advanced Diploma in Security Management between 2007 and 2008. From 2012 to 2013, he studied at the International College of Defence Studies, National Defence University, in Changping, China. There, he obtained an Advanced Diploma in Defence and Strategies and a Master of Science in Military Science.

In 2017, he attended the Combined Joint Land Component Commander’s Course on Leadership at the U.S. Army War College.

Career

General Musa has held many important positions throughout his military career. He started as a Platoon Commander at the 192 Battalion in 1991. He later served as the Intelligence Officer at the same battalion from 1993 to 1994. Between 1995 and 1999, he was the Administrative Officer at the 2 Division Camp (Garrison).

In 2000, he became the Pioneer Adjutant of 195 Battalion. He was the Operations Officer for NIBATT 8 under the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) between 2001 and 2002. From 2002 to 2003, he was the Second-in-Command of 195 Battalion. He also served as Second-in-Command of 149 Battalion between 2005 and 2006.

He worked as the General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations, at Headquarters 81 Division from 2006 to 2007. He commanded the 73 Battalion between 2007 and 2009. He later became the Assistant Director for Operational Requirements at the Department of Army Policy and Plans from 2009 to 2011.

From 2011 to 2012, he was the Infantry Representative and a member of the Training Team at Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps. Between 2013 and 2014, he served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations, at Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps. From 2014 to 2015, he was Chief of Staff at Headquarters 2 Division.

Musa was appointed Commandant of the Depot Nigerian Army from 2015 to 2017. In 2017, he became the Principal Staff Officer (Combat Arms) at the Department of Projects and Programmes, Army Headquarters. He also served as the Pioneer Executive Director of the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Ltd that same year.

In 2018, he commanded the 82 Division Task Force Brigade during Operation Last Hold in the North East. A year later, in 2019, he was appointed Commander of Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole, and later Commander of Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad Region.

Between 2019 and 2020, he was Chief of General Duties at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). In 2020, he became the Director of Campaign Planning and later Director of Training at Army Headquarters.

In 2021, he worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Army Research Centre. That same year, he was appointed Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai. His final position before becoming Chief of Defence Staff was Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.

Military Operations

Throughout his career, General Musa has participated in several local and international operations. These include Operation MESA, Operation SECOND HEAVEN, and Operation FOCUS RELIEF, which involved joint training with U.S. troops in 2000.

He also took part in the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) from 2001 to 2002. Other missions include Operation HAKURI (2002–2003), Operation SAFE CONDUCT (2007 and 2015), and Operation RESTORE HOPE (2007–2008).

He was part of Operation AYAM APATUMEH and Operation LAST HOLD in 2018, Operation LAFIYA DOLE and the Multinational Joint Task Force (Lake Chad) in 2019, Operation KANTANA JIMLAM in 2020, and Operation HADIN KAI from 2021 to the present.

Honours and Awards

General Musa has received numerous awards and medals for his service.

His national honour includes being named an Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

He has also earned several military decorations, such as:

UNAMSIL Medal (2002)
Forces Service Star (2003)
Meritorious Service Star (2009)
Distinguished Service Star (2015 and 2016)
General Operation Medal (2009)
Command Medal (2009)
Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award (2009)
Silver Jubilee Medal (2010)
Centenary Medal (2014)
Training Support Medal (2017)
Operation LAST HOLD Medal (2018)
Operation LAFIYA DOLE Medal (2019)
MNJTF Medal (2021)
Grand Service Star (2021)
Field Commander Medal of Honour (2021–present)
Operation HADIN KAI Medal (2021–present)

He is also a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and the Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security, both since 2008. He became a Fellow of the National Defence University, China, in 2013.

In 2022, General Musa received the Colin Powell Meritorious Award for Soldiering. That same year, the African Youth Initiative for Good Governance and Peace gave him the Nelson Mandela Exemplary Leadership Award. He was also awarded a Fellowship from the Institute of Leadership Assessment and Development during the Africa-Dubai Investment Business Summit in 2022.

In November 2023, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nigeria Service Awards panel after topping the online nomination vote.

On 31 December 2023, the Agwatyap of Atyap Chiefdom, His Highness Sir Dominic Yahaya, conferred on him the traditional title of Tswung Atyap, which means “Pillar of Atyap.”