The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has disclosed that he was among the key targets of a recently foiled coup plot, revealing that the masterminds planned to shoot him if he resisted arrest.
General Musa made the revelation during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, days after the Nigerian military confirmed that about sixteen officers arrested in October would be tried over an alleged attempt to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“I was also a target, I am sure you know,” the Defence Minister said during the programme.
“I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” he added.
In October, the military had initially announced the arrest of sixteen officers over what it described as acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations. However, authorities later disclosed that further investigations uncovered more serious allegations bordering on an attempt to overthrow the government.
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In a statement issued last week, the military said its findings identified several officers linked to plots that were “inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).”
The Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, confirmed that those implicated would be prosecuted in line with existing laws.
“Accordingly, those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before an appropriate military judicial panel to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations,” he stated.
General Musa, who is the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces to constitutional order and assured Nigerians that the military remains loyal to democratic governance and the protection of the nation’s stability.