Nigeria's president nominates ex-military chief for defense minister weeks after he was forced out

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LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday nominated the former military chief as defense minister just weeks after he was made to step down.

There was no immediate explanation for why Gen. Christopher Musa, who led the military from 2023 to October, was returning, pending parliamentary confirmation. Musa had been made to retire during a reshuffle of the military. The previous defense minister, Badaru Abubakar, resigned Monday, citing health reasons.

The United States has been pressuring Nigeria to do more more to combat deadly unrest and mass abductions by bandits and militants in the country's north. Tinubu has rejected U.S. claims that the violence overwhelmingly targets Christians, and he recently sent a diplomatic team to Washington, which led to agreements on a security partnership.

Last week, Tinubu declared a state of emergency, ordering a mass recruitment of police officers.