Coup plotters were foolhardy even civilians would’ve taken them down — Defence minister

Nigeria's Defence Minister, Gen Christopher Musa, asserted that the officers involved in a plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu's government lacked significant support and would have been apprehended even by civilians. He characterized the plotters as "a band of confused individuals" who recklessly involved junior officers in a failed endeavor.

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Even the civilians in Nigeria would have taken them down. So I think it was just foolhardy for them to have done what they wanted to do.

Musa expressed disbelief at the caliber of individuals involved, stating, "I just looked at the people that were involved and I shook my head, because they are just a bunch of confused individuals that exposed very junior officers who didn’t know their left from their right, and now put them into this mess." He reserved particular sympathy for the lower-ranked officers, whom he described as victims of senior officers' recklessness, while emphasizing that the military system addresses such situations.

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I just looked at the people that were involved and I shook my head, because they are just a bunch of confused individuals that exposed very junior officers who didn’t know their left from their right, and now put them into this mess.

The minister assured that the ongoing general court-martial is transparent, with the accused receiving every opportunity to defend themselves. "The investigation was very thorough. The prosecution is now ongoing, and the court martial will go as planned. We are giving them all the benefits to defend themselves," Musa stated, adding that "the facts on the ground are very, very clear."

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The investigation was very thorough. The prosecution is now ongoing, and the court martial will go as planned. We are giving them all the benefits to defend themselves.

Musa also dismissed any rational basis for the coup plot, asserting that the country and the armed forces are performing well, with salaries and allowances being adequately managed. He reiterated the superiority of democracy over military rule, suggesting the plotters misjudged the national sentiment. The plot, which reportedly predated the current administration, centered on a disgruntled colonel who failed a promotion examination.

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They had no reason to do that. The country was going very well. The armed forces have been taken care of quite well. We’ve never had issues with our salaries.