Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has revealed that he was one of the main targets of the recently uncovered coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said the plotters planned to arrest him and would have killed him if he resisted.
Musa made the disclosure while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
According to him, he was personally marked for arrest because of his role in supporting efforts to protect Nigeria’s democracy.
He described those behind the plot as “very unserious individuals” who misjudged the strength of Nigeria’s armed forces.
The Defence Minister said most of the suspects involved in the plot have already been arrested.
He added that only one or two suspects may still be at large.
Musa explained that the plot was allegedly led by a disgruntled colonel who failed to secure promotion in the military.
He said the officer went on to recruit others who had personal grievances.
The Defence Minister expressed concern for young officers who were drawn into the plot without fully understanding what they were involved in.
He stressed that coups are no longer possible in modern-day Nigeria.
Musa noted that past coups only succeeded with the support of top military commanders, which was absent in this case.
He added that Nigerians themselves would have resisted any attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government.
The Defence Minister also clarified that the plot was planned before President Tinubu was sworn into office.
He insisted that thorough investigations were carried out to ensure no innocent officer was wrongly accused.
