The Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, has revealed that the Armed Forces foiled a planned coup through coordinated intelligence monitoring before it could be executed.
Speaking on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television, Musa said the plot was initiated by a disgruntled colonel who failed to qualify for promotion to the rank of brigadier-general and subsequently attempted to recruit other dissatisfied officers.
Although rumours of a coup attempt emerged in October last year and were initially dismissed by the Defence Headquarters, the military later confirmed that an attempted coup did take place, with investigations indicting 16 officers now facing court-martial.
Musa, who was Chief of Defence Staff when the plot was uncovered, explained that the military delayed public confirmation to allow for a thorough investigation and to avoid arresting innocent officers.
According to him, investigations showed that planning for the coup began before the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu in 2023, dismissing claims that the plot was a reaction to the current administration.
He disclosed that the plot was potentially violent and that he was among those listed for arrest or assassination, adding that most of the suspects had been arrested while international agencies were tracking remaining civilian collaborators.
Musa said the investigation involved multiple security agencies and stressed that carrying out a coup in modern-day Nigeria is nearly impossible due to military unity and public resistance to unconstitutional change. “You can’t just wake up and attempt a coup in Nigeria today. Even Nigerians would have resisted them without the Armed Forces. The era of military takeovers is over,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ loyalty to the Constitution, said the incident had led to a strengthening of the presidential security architecture, and urged Nigerians to reject divisive narratives that undermine national unity.
