Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (retd.) has revealed he was a prime target in the recently foiled coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, disclosing that conspirators planned to arrest him or shoot him if he resisted.
Speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today, Musa described the plotters as “a bunch of very unserious individuals” and detailed how he helped security agencies thwart their plans. “I was also a target, I am sure you know. I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” he stated.
The former Chief of Defence Staff dismissed the plotters' capacity to challenge the state, noting their plan was driven by personal grievances, including a colonel's frustration over being denied promotion. “My pain is all those young officers who didn’t understand what was going on that he put in this mess,” Musa added.
He emphasized that executing a coup in modern Nigeria is “impossible,” contrasting it with the nation's past, and credited a thorough, multi-agency investigation for ensuring only the guilty were implicated.
Musa also revealed that the plot predated Tinubu's inauguration, describing it as “quite unfortunate.” Most suspects have been arrested, with only “maybe one or two” still at large.
The minister's revelation comes amid reports that former Bayelsa Governor Timipre Sylva may be arraigned in absentia over related financial crimes, as international agencies track his movements abroad.
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