The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has revealed that he was marked for arrest—and possibly assassination—during the recent failed coup against President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Musa described the suspects as “a bunch of very unserious individuals” and admitted he played a key role in helping security agencies foil the plot.
“I was also a target. I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” Musa said.
Reflecting on the risks of coup attempts, he added: “Anybody who goes into a coup zeroes his mind because he knows if he succeeds, it’s good. If he doesn’t, whatever consequences come, you are ready for it.”
Musa dismissed the conspirators’ capacity to challenge the Nigerian state, stressing that their actions betrayed a misunderstanding of Nigeria’s democratic history and the strength of its armed forces.
He noted that even without military intervention, Nigerians would have resisted any attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government.
On arrests made so far, Musa confirmed that most suspects had been apprehended, with only “one or two” still at large. He said the plot was driven by personal grievances, particularly a disgruntled colonel who failed promotion and sought to recruit others.
Expressing concern for junior officers drawn into the scheme, Musa lamented: “My pain is all those young officers who didn’t understand what was going on that he put in this mess. Now they have to face the consequences.”
He stressed that executing a coup in modern-day Nigeria was “impossible,” unlike in the past, and emphasised that security agencies relied on verified facts before acting.
Musa explained that the investigation was thorough and collaborative, involving the DIA, NIA, DSS, and other agencies to avoid indicting innocent officers.
He dismissed claims that the plot was driven by dissatisfaction with Tinubu’s administration, insisting it predated his inauguration. Musa further noted that past coups only succeeded with the backing of top military commanders, which was absent in this case.
“For anybody to want to truncate democracy in this disposition, I think there’s something really wrong with them,” he said.
Musa’s comments came amid reports that former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, may be arraigned in absentia over alleged financial crimes linked to the coup plot.
Declared wanted by the EFCC over a $14.8m fraud case, Sylva has since remained outside the country while international partners track his movements.
The Defence Headquarters had initially dismissed reports of a coup attempt in October 2025, despite the arrest of 16 officers. However, last week, the new Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba confirmed that investigations had indeed uncovered a plot to topple Tinubu’s administration, with several officers facing prosecution.
