The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has revealed that he was one of the intended targets in an alleged coup plot and was to be arrested or shot by the conspirators. He made the disclosure on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, following the military’s announcement that some of the sixteen officers arrested last October will face trial for attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
“I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” General Musa said, describing the plotters as “unserious individuals” who underestimated the Armed Forces and the Nigerian people’s resistance to military takeovers.
The military previously arrested sixteen officers over breaches of service regulations. Findings have linked several of them to the alleged coup, which included plans to target top government officials. The officers with cases to answer will be arraigned before a military judicial panel in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other regulations, according to Director Major General Samaila Uba.
Reports suggest the attempted coup was connected to the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade, and raids linked the plot to prominent figures, including former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva.
General Musa emphasized that Nigerians historically resist military takeovers, noting that even the President had fought against such attempts in the past. He stressed that the conspirators had misjudged both the Armed Forces and the public’s commitment to democracy.
Nigeria, which experienced multiple coups between 1966 and 1993, has maintained democratic governance since 1999. The recent attempt mirrors a series of military takeovers and coup plots in West Africa, including a failed coup in neighboring Benin Republic late last year.
