Defence Minister Says He Was Target in Alleged Coup Plot Against Tinubu
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has disclosed that he was among the targets of military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, revealing that there were plans to arrest—and potentially shoot—him if he resisted.
Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, Musa said: “I was also a target. I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot.” He described the alleged plotters as “very unserious individuals” who, in his view, gravely underestimated both the professionalism of the armed forces and the resolve of the Nigerian people.
His remarks come days after the military announced that 16 officers arrested in October 2025 for acts of indiscipline would be arraigned over an alleged coup attempt. Military authorities said investigations linked some of the officers to efforts aimed at toppling the government, actions they described as a flagrant breach of military ethics and professional standards.
The Defence Minister reaffirmed the loyalty of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to constitutional order, stressing that the military remains committed to safeguarding democracy and national stability.
