Mohammed Badaru Abubakar[1]MON (born 19 September 1962[1]) is a Nigerian politician who served as the Nigerian minister of defence from 21 August 2023 to 1 December 2025 when he resigned for medical reasons.[2] He previously served as the governor of Jigawa State from 2015 to 2023.[3][4]
Badaru,as he is popularly called,was a one-time chairman of the Nigerian Presidential committee on fertilizer distribution to farmers,and also a former chairman of a presidential committee on non-oil revenue. He is the founder of Talamiz Group.[5]
After his graduation,Badaru established his business,the Talamiz Group,a conglomerate with diverse interest in automobiles,manufacturing,agriculture and animal husbandry,as well as commodity distribution.[8][9]
As a surge of bandit attacks gripped Nigeria in November 2025,it became glaring that neither the Minister of Defense (Abubakar) nor his deputy,the Minister of State for Defense (Bello Matawalle) had any defense or security experience. Both are former governors from the hotbed of the kidnapping crisis who are seen as sympathetic to the bandits based on their utterances in the media. On a BBC Hausa interview in late November 2025,Abubakar made the shocking claim that the bandits hide in forests so dense that bombs cannot reach them. [14] As such,pressure mounted for both civilian defense ministers to be replaced.[15]
On Dec 2,2025,Mohammed Badaru Abubakar resigned "for health reasons" and was replaced by the former chief of defense staff,gen Christopher Musa who retired just a few weeks prior.[16]
Awards
In recognition of his hard work,philanthropic activities,Badaru was conferred with the traditional title of Sardaunan Ringim in Ringim emirate and Walin Jahun in Dutse emirate councils respectively. He was also conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by the president in 2006.[17]
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