By Sodiq Adelakun
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has revealed that he was among the intended targets of a failed coup attempt last year and could have been shot if he resisted arrest.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Musa, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, said, “I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot.”
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that in October 2025, the military arrested sixteen officers for “acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.” Investigations later linked some of the officers to a plan to overthrow the government, violating military ethics and professional standards.
Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, said those found culpable would be formally arraigned before a military judicial panel in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other service regulations.
Authorities said the alleged coup plan included the assassination of several top government officials and other prominent leaders, highlighting the seriousness of the threat.
