I was a target and supposed to be shot — Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that he was one of the targets of an alleged coup plot and was meant to be shot by the plotters.

General Musa made the disclosure on Sunday Politics, days after the military announced that some of the 16 officers arrested last October would face trial over an alleged attempt to overthrow Bola Tinubu.

“I was also a target, I am sure you know,” the minister, who is the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, said on the programme. “I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” the Kaduna-born general disclosed.

In October, the military announced the arrest of “sixteen officers over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.” However, authorities later said investigations revealed that some of the officers were allegedly involved in plotting to overthrow the government.

“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 of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, said in a statement. He added that “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.”

Several senior government officials and prominent figures were reportedly pencilled in as targets in the alleged coup attempt. The plot has also been linked to the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade. Reports further indicated that the residence of former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva was raided over an alleged connection to the plot.

Reacting to the development, Musa described those involved as “unserious individuals.” “I think these guys were a bunch of unserious individuals. If you look at the calibre of persons [involved in the attempted coup], I don’t know what got into their heads to think they can take on the Armed Forces like that,” he said.

The defence minister added that Nigerians themselves would have resisted any attempt to return the country to military rule. “Even Nigerians would have fought them. Nigerians have fought against military rule for quite some 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 said.

Nigeria experienced a series of military coups between 1966 and 1993 before returning to democratic rule in 1999. The alleged plot comes amid a wave of coups and attempted takeovers across West Africa, including a reported coup attempt in neighbouring Benin Republic late last year.