Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd), has formally welcomed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, back to the Ministry following his reinstatement by the Federal Government.

According to a statement by Queeneth Iheoma-Hart, the Chief Information and Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, the Permanent Secretary’s “reinstatement follows the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, after Mr. Pheelangwah was cleared of any involvement in the alleged fake agency scam.

“The Permanent Secretary’s reinstatement demonstrated Mr. President’s administration commitment to upholding due process, fairness, and zero tolerance for misconduct, while also ensuring that innocent public officers are not unjustly punished.”

The statement noted that General Musa received the reinstated Permanent Secretary at his office on Tuesday, expressing “confidence in their cordial working relationship and emphasized the importance of building on the existing synergy between the Ministry’s leadership to promote effective administration and service delivery.”

In his response, the Permanent Secretary expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu and the Federal Government for the opportunity to resume duty, pledging to discharge his responsibilities with renewed dedication, professionalism, and commitment to national service and to work towards achieving the Ministry’s mandate and advancing Nigeria’s defence and security objectives.

The event highlights the Ministry’s commitment to institutional continuity, strengthened leadership collaboration, and the effective pursuit of the country’s defence and security priorities.