ABUJA — The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), has disclosed that he was a primary target in a recently foiled plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on February 1, 2026, the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) revealed that the orchestrators had planned to either arrest or assassinate him if he resisted their attempt to subvert democratic rule.
The Plot Revealed
“I was also a target, I am sure you know,” General Musa stated during the interview. “I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot.”
The Minister’s disclosure comes days after the Nigerian military confirmed that approximately 16 officers, ranging from Captains to a Brigadier-General, were arrested in October 2025 and are set to face trial before a military judicial panel. While the military initially attributed the detentions to “acts of indiscipline,” subsequent investigations uncovered evidence of a calculated attempt to destabilise the government.
Targeting the President and Top Officials
According to security sources and official reports, the conspirators had allegedly marked several high-ranking government officials for elimination, including President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The plot reportedly led to the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade, as intelligence indicated the attackers planned to strike during the public event. General Musa dismissed the plotters as a “bunch of unserious individuals” who underestimated the loyalty of the Armed Forces and the democratic resolve of the Nigerian public.
Justice and Accountability
General Musa assured that the accused officers would receive a fair trial with access to legal counsel. He emphasized that anyone venturing into such a high-stakes conspiracy understands the grave consequences, noting that the government is ensuring the families of the detained officers are treated fairly during the judicial process.
The Minister’s revelation has underscored the ongoing tensions within the security establishment and the government’s efforts to preserve constitutional order amid regional instability in West Africa.
