COUP PLOT: I WAS MARKED FOR ARREST, PLANNED TO BE SHOT — DEFENCE MINISTER

I WAS MARKED FOR ARREST, PLANNED TO BE SHOT — DEFENCE MINISTER


Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has revealed that he was among senior officials targeted by military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that the plan was to shoot him if he resisted arrest.

Musa made the disclosure on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, days after the Nigerian military announced that 16 officers arrested in October 2025 would face trial over an alleged coup plot.

According to the Defence Minister, he later became aware that his name was listed among those to be arrested by the alleged plotters.

“I was also a target. I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” Musa said.

He described coup plotting as a reckless venture, noting that those who engage in it are often prepared for extreme consequences. However, he dismissed the alleged plotters as unserious and incapable of challenging the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“If you look at the calibre of the individuals and what they intended to do, it was clear they did not fully understand the gravity of their actions. Even Nigerians would have resisted them. The country has fought against military rule before,” he added.

The military had earlier announced the arrest of the officers for acts initially described as indiscipline and breaches of service regulations. However, further investigations later linked some of them to an alleged attempt to overthrow the government.

In a statement last week, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said officers found to have cases to answer would be arraigned before a military judicial panel in line with the Armed Forces Act and other relevant service regulations.

He explained that the process was aimed at ensuring accountability while upholding fairness and due process within the Armed Forces.

The development has continued to draw national attention, reigniting discussions on civil-military relations and the military’s commitment to constitutional democracy.

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