Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has disclosed that he was one of the primary targets of an alleged coup plot uncovered by the military last October, revealing that the plotters intended to arrest and shoot him if he resisted.
General Musa made the disclosure during an appearance on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, days after the military announced that some of the sixteen officers arrested over acts of indiscipline would face trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
“I was also a target, I am sure you know,” Musa said on the programme. “I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot.”
The minister, who is the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), explained that initial arrests carried out in October were based on breaches of service regulations. However, further investigations later uncovered evidence linking some of the officers to a coup plot.
In a statement released last week, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the military’s findings revealed “allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, which is inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).”
“Accordingly, those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before an appropriate military judicial panel to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations,” the statement added.
Security sources also indicated that several senior government officials and prominent national figures were allegedly pencilled down for assassination as part of the plot. The attempted coup has been linked to the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade.
In a related development, the residence of former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, was reportedly raided over alleged links to the coup plot, though no formal charges have been announced against him.
Reacting to the development, General Musa dismissed those involved as lacking seriousness and capacity to carry out such an act.
“I think these guys were a bunch of unserious individuals. If you look at the calibre of persons involved, I don’t know what got into their heads to think they could take on the Armed Forces like that,” he said.
The defence minister also expressed confidence that Nigerians would have resisted any attempt to return the country to military rule.
“Even Nigerians would have fought them. Nigerians have fought against military rule for quite some time. Mr President has been one of them. For them to wake up one morning and think they can do that in Nigeria, I think they need to reset their brain,” Musa added.
Nigeria experienced multiple military coups between 1966 and 1993 but returned to democratic governance in 1999 and has remained so since. The alleged coup attempt comes amid a wave of military takeovers and failed coup plots across West Africa, including a recent attempted coup in neighbouring Benin Republic.
