Foiled Coup: Accused officers aware of consequences, says Defence Minister

Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, has said that military officers arrested over the foiled coup plot against President Bola Tinubu were fully aware of the consequences of their actions before embarking on the alleged plan.

The minister, who spoke during an interview on TRT World, a Turkish international broadcaster, said the accused officers “must have made up their minds” and carefully considered the repercussions, including the impact on their families.

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Sixteen military officers, including a brigadier-general and a colonel, were arrested in October 2025 following what the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) initially described as “acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.”

At the time, the military authorities did not publicly confirm that the arrests were linked to an attempted coup, sparking widespread speculation.

However, on January 26, 2026, the DHQ formally confirmed that the arrests were connected to a plot to overthrow President Tinubu’s government.

According to the military, the alleged coup attempt was uncovered in late September 2025 through coordinated intelligence operations involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

Military sources said the plot allegedly included plans to assassinate President Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, Vice-President
and other top government officials, as well as to arrest senior military commanders as part of a coordinated takeover.

Speaking on the matter, the defence minister assured Nigerians that the accused officers would be given a fair trial in line with the law and military justice procedures.

He said they would be allowed access to legal representation of their choice throughout the process.

“They must have made up their minds when they decided to do this and must have considered their families.

“But even at that, the government is ensuring that their families are treated fairly. Their family members are not left alone. The government is making sure that their wives and children are looked after,” the minister said.

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He further stressed that the accused officers were aware of the implications of their alleged actions and were prepared to face the consequences.

“The perpetrators already know the repercussion of their action, and I’m sure they are ready to face the wrath,” he said.