By Gloria Attah
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd) says the officers who allegedly plotted to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government stood no chance of succeeding, insisting that even ordinary Nigerians would have resisted them without military intervention.
Speaking on ARISE News on Friday, Musa described the suspected coup plotters as “confused individuals” who dragged inexperienced junior officers into what he called a reckless and doomed venture.
His comments come as the general court martial of officers accused of involvement in the October 2025 coup plot continues.
According to the Defence Minister, the alleged conspirators lacked both public support and a credible motive.
“Even civilians in Nigeria would have taken them down. I think it was foolhardy for them to attempt what they wanted to do,” Musa said.
The minister expressed disappointment over the calibre of officers linked to the plot, saying many of them appeared misguided and poorly prepared.
“When I looked at the people involved, I shook my head. They were just a bunch of confused individuals who exposed very junior officers that didn’t know their left from their right, and now they’ve put them into this mess. It’s quite unfortunate,” he added.
Musa, however, said he sympathised with the lower-ranking officers allegedly caught up in the conspiracy, blaming senior figures for misleading them.
“We always feel bad when we see our colleagues in this kind of situation, but the system has a way of handling such matters,” he said.
On the ongoing trial, the Defence Minister maintained that the process has been transparent and in line with military procedures.
“The investigation was very thorough. The prosecution is ongoing, and the court martial will proceed as planned. They are being given every opportunity to defend themselves.
“The facts on the ground are very clear, and I can assure Nigerians that we are following due process. Nothing is hidden,” he said.
Musa also defended the current welfare conditions within the armed forces, arguing that there was no justification for any attempt to disrupt democratic governance.
“The country was doing well. The armed forces have been well taken care of. We’ve never had issues with salaries, and efforts have been made to improve allowances. Our troops are doing quite well,” he stated.
The Defence Minister used the occasion to reaffirm his support for democratic governance, insisting that military rule has no place in modern Nigeria.
“Democracy is far better than any military regime. This should serve as a lesson to younger officers that coups do not pay,” he said.
Musa had earlier disclosed that the alleged plot dated back to before the Tinubu administration and was allegedly driven by a disgruntled colonel who failed promotion examinations for the rank of brigadier-general.
The conspiracy reportedly came to light in September 2025 after intelligence gathered by the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services uncovered plans initially linked to the May 29, 2023 presidential inauguration.
Although the Defence Headquarters had initially denied reports of a coup attempt, investigations later expanded, including raids linked to the probe.
Months later, the military confirmed that detained officers connected to the alleged plot would face trial before a court martial.
