PROFILE: Meet new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj Gen Christopher Musa

President Bola Tinubu on Monday night appointed Major General Christopher Musa, as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The new CDS, Musa, was born on December 25, 1967 in Sokoto, but hails from Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State.

He is a member of the 38th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy and was commissioned on September 21, 1991 into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.

Musa holds a Master’s in Defence Studies from the National Defence University in Beijing, China.

See the profile of the new Chief of Defence Staff below:  

1. Name: Christopher Gwabin Musa.
2. Date/Place of Birth: December 25, 1967 – Sokoto.
3. State of Origin/LGA: Kaduna State/Zangon Kataf.
4. Corps: Infantry.
5. Member of the 38th Infantry Course Nigerian Defence Army.
6. Commissioned on September 21, 1991.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

a. Marafa Danbaba Primary School, Sokoto, 1974 – 1978.
b. Model Primary Schoo, Dorowa Road Sokoto, 1978 – 1980.
c. Vocational Training Centre, Gaummi, Sokoto, 1980 – 1981.
d. Federal Government College, Sokoto, 1981 – 1985.
e. College of Advanced Studies, Zaria, 1985 – 1986.
f. BSc Hons(Chn), Nigerian Defence Academy, 1986 – 1990.
g. Advanced Diploma in Security Management, University of Lagos
2007 – 2008.
h. MSc (Mil Science), International College of Defence Studies, National Defence
University Changing, Beijing, China, 2012 – 2013.

Military/Civil Courses

a. Nigerian Defence Academy, member of the 38th Regular Course- 21, September, 1991.
b. Mechanical Transportation Officers Course, 1992.
c. Young Officers Course (Infantry), 1993.
Regimental Signal Officers Course, 1998.
e. Junior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, 2000.
f. Senior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, 2004 – 2005.
g. Advance Diploma in Defence and Strategies Course (China), International
College of Defense Studies National Defense University (ICDS-NDU), ChangPing,
China, 2013.
h. MSc (Military Science), ICDS-BDU, China, 2013.
i. National Dfence College, ICDS,China, 2013.
j. Combined Joint Land Component Commander’s Course on Leadership,
US Army War College, 2017.

APPOINTMENTS HELD

a. Platoon Commander, 192 Bn, 1991.
b. Intelligence Officer, 192 Bn, 1993 – 1994.
c. Administrative Officer at 2 Division Camp (Garrison), 1995 – 1999.
d. Pioneer Adjutant 195 Bn, 2000.
e. Operations Officer, NIBATT 8 UNAMSIL, 2001 – 2002.
f. 195 Bn 2ic, 2002 – 2003.
g. 149 Bn 2ic, 2005 – 2006.
h. General Staff Officer 1 Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division, 2006 – 2007.
i. Commanding Officer, 73 Bn, 2007 – 2009.
j. Assistant Director, Operational Requirement at Department of Army Policy and
Plans, 2009 – 2011.
k. Infantry Representative/Member Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour
Corps, 2011 – 2012.
l. Deputy Chief of Staff Training/Operations, HQ Infantry Centre and Corp, 2013 – 2014.
m. Chief of Staff, HQ 2 Division, 2014 – 2015.
n. Commandant Depot, Nigerian Army, 2015 – 2017.
o. Principal Staff Officer (Combat Arms), Army HQ Department of Projects and
Programmes, 2017.
p. Pioneer Executive Director Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Ltd, 2017.
q. Commander, 82 Division Task Force Brigade, OP LAST HOLD in the North East, 2018.
r. Commander, Sector 3 OP LAFIYA DOLE, 2019.
s. Commander, Sect 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Tchad Region, 2019.
t. Chief of General Duties, TRADOC, 2019 – 2020.
u. Director, Campaign Planning AHQ DATOPs, 2020.
v. Director, Training AHQ-DATOPs, 2020.
w. Senior Research Fellow, Nigerian Army Research Centre 2021.
x. Theatre Commader, JTF (NE) Operation HADIN KAI, 2021 till appointment as CDS

HONOURS/AWARDS

a. UNAMSIL Medal, 2002.
b. Passed Staff Course (psc), 2004 – 2005.
c. Forces Service Star, 2003.
d. Meritorious Service Star, 2009.
e. Distinguished Service Star, 2015.
f. Member, Nigerian Institute of Management, 2008.
g. Advance Diploma in Security Management, UNILAG, 2008.
h. Member, Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security, 2008.
i. General Operation Medal, 2009.
j. Command Medal (CO 73 Bn), 2009.
k. Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award, 2009.
l. Silver Jubilee Medal, 2010.
m. Meritorious Service Medal, 2012.
n. Fellow-NDU, ICDS-NDU,ChangPing, China, 2013.
o. Masters in Military Science, ICDS-NDU, China, 2013.
p. Diploma in Defence and Strategy, ICDS-NDU, ChangPing, 2013.
q. Centenary Medal, 2014.
r. Distinguished Service Star, 2016.
s. Training Support Medal, 2017.
t. Operation LAST HOLD Medal, 2018.
u. Operation LAFIYA DOLE Medal, 2019.
v. MNJTF Medal, 2021.
w. Grand Service Star (GSS), September 2021.
x. Field Commander Medal of Honour (FCMH), June 2021
y. Operation HADIN KAI Medal (OPHK), June 2021