Nigeria’s former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), has revealed the high cost of modern military operations, stating that a single medium-range precision missile used in drone strikes costs $100,000 — about N150 million.

Musa made the disclosure during his ministerial screening at the Senate, stressing that once a missile is fired, “N150 million is gone, whether it hits the target or not.” He said the reality highlights the need for better defence planning and greater investment in technology-driven warfare as Nigeria battles terrorism and banditry.

President Bola Tinubu nominated Musa as Minister of Defence following the resignation of Mohammed Badaru, who stepped down due to health reasons. Senate President Godswill Akpabio had to suspend Senate rules to allow Musa into the chamber for screening.

During the session, Akpabio rebuked Senator Sani Musa for suggesting that the nominee should simply “take a bow and go,” insisting that the nation’s worsening security situation required a more thorough assessment.

After about five hours of questioning, the Senate confirmed Musa as the new Minister of Defence.

General Musa, commissioned into the Army in 1991, previously served as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai and later as Chief of Defence Staff in 2023. His confirmation comes at a time of rising insecurity nationwide.

Former Minister Badaru, who took office in August 2023, had recently faced criticism following a BBC Hausa interview where he claimed some terrorist hideouts were “too dense for bombs to reach.”