General Christopher Musa, the Minister of Defense, alleges that he was one of the people who were supposed to be shot in a coup plot.
General Musa spoke on Channels Television yesterday, just a few days after the military indicated that some of the sixteen officers who were arrested last October would be put on trial for trying to remove President Bola Tinubu.
The minister, who was the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) until recently, stated, “I was also a target, I’m sure you know.”
“I was supposed to be arrested, and if I didn’t, I was supposed to be shot,” the person from Kaduna said.
The military will put officers on trial.
In October, the military arrested “sixteen officers for acts of indiscipline and breaking service rules.”
But this week, officials said, “findings have identified a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, which is inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the AFN.”
The Director, Major General Samaila Uba, said in a statement, “As a result, 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.”
“People Who Aren’t Serious”
It is said that the coup attempt planned to kill a number of high-ranking government officials and other well-known personalities.
Some reports say that the failed coup was connected to the cancelation of the 65th Independence Anniversary parade.
Police broke into the home of Timipre Sylva, the former governor of Bayelsa State, because they thought he was involved in a coup conspiracy.
General Musa said that the people who were participating in the coup plot were “unserious.”
“I think these guys were just a bunch of jokers.” The minister stated, “If you look at the quality of the people [involved in the attempted coup], I don’t know what got into their heads to think they could take on the Armed Forces like that.”
The minister claimed that Nigerians would have fought against the coup plotters, just like they did in the past.
“I even said that Nigerians would have fought them too.” Keep in mind that Nigerians have been fighting against military rule for a long time. “Mr. President has been one of them, so for them to wake up one morning and think they can do that in Nigeria, I think they need to reset their brain,” he added.
Nigeria has undergone a lot of coups in the past, especially between 1966 and 1993. But the country became a democracy again in 1999 and has been that way since.
There had been a number of military takeovers and coup attempts in West Africa before the coup attempt. Last year, there was an effort to take over the government in Benin Republic, which is next door.
About the Author
