Foiled Coup: Nigerian Defence Minister, Chris Musa Speaks Up, Says He Was Marked For Death Or Arrest 

By Samuel Sunday 

The Nigerian Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa retired has spoken up on how coup plotters and conspirators  marked him for death or arrest in a recent foiled coup d’etat against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Musa made the revelation on Sunday while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, where he dismissed the plotters as “a bunch of very unserious individuals.”

The former Chief of Defence Staff, who played a central role in exposing the plot, said he was personally listed for arrest by the conspirators. “I was also a target. I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” he said.

According to Musa, involvement in coup plotting comes with known risks. “That’s the job. Anyone who goes into a coup has already zeroed his mind. If he succeeds, fine. If he doesn’t, he must be ready to face the consequences,” he added.

He expressed disbelief at the plotters’ confidence, saying they lacked the capacity and understanding to confront the Nigerian state or its armed forces.

“These were just a bunch of very unserious individuals. Looking at the calibre of people involved, I really don’t know what made them think they could take on the armed forces,” he said.

Musa stressed that even without military intervention, Nigerians themselves would have resisted any attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government.

“Even Nigerians would have fought them. Nigerians resisted military rule for years, and that spirit is still there. To think they could just wake up one morning and overthrow democracy — something clearly went wrong in their thinking,” he said.

On arrests made so far, the defence minister disclosed that most of the suspects have been apprehended, with only “one or two” possibly still at large. He revealed that the plot was allegedly initiated by a disgruntled colonel who failed to meet promotion requirements.

“The armed forces’ promotion system is strict and merit-based. He didn’t qualify, so he went around recruiting others who had one grievance or another,” Musa explained.

He expressed particular concern for junior officers allegedly drawn into the scheme without fully understanding its implications. “My pain is for the young officers he dragged into this mess. Now they must face the consequences,” he said, adding that it was unthinkable for a colonel to contemplate a coup in modern Nigeria.

Musa emphasised that coups are no longer feasible in today’s Nigeria, unlike in the past. “That was Nigeria of yesterday. Today, it’s impossible,” he said, noting that security agencies act strictly on verified intelligence that can stand in court.

He explained that investigations into the plot were thorough and collaborative, involving the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and other agencies to avoid implicating innocent officers.

“These plans were already in motion even before President Tinubu was sworn in,” Musa said, describing the development as unfortunate and stressing that the plot had nothing to do with dissatisfaction with the current administration.

He also noted that past coups only succeeded with the backing of senior military commanders, a factor completely absent in this case.

“These were low-ranking individuals with no access or influence. For anyone to think of truncating democracy under these conditions, something is seriously wrong,” he said.

Musa’s remarks came amid ongoing investigations into the alleged coup plot, following reports linking former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva to related financial and security probes. 

While initial military statements in October 2025 downplayed the arrests of officers linked to the plot, the Defence Headquarters later confirmed that investigations uncovered a genuine attempt to overthrow the Tinubu administration, with several officers now facing charges.