Nigeria nearing collapse, claims colonel accused in coup plot

Colonel Mohammed Ma'aji, accused of involvement in a plot to overthrow Nigerian President Bola Tinubu's administration, asserts that his motives were purely patriotic and stemmed from deep concern over Nigeria's deteriorating condition. He denies personal ambition, stating that economic hardship, widespread poor governance, and a decline in the welfare of both civilians and military personnel fueled his worries about the nation's trajectory.

“

What has happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and I love the job and country. As we are all sitting down here, we have our biases and our thoughts and concerns on what was going on in our country from a state of gradual decline up to now, and we are almost at the point of collapse.

Ma'aji detailed his personal struggles, including difficulties in providing for his five children on his salary, which he links to broader issues of bad governance affecting access to education and other essential services. He also raised alarms about the welfare of soldiers, particularly those injured in operations, alleging inadequate care at military hospitals in Kaduna. These conditions, he claims, reinforced his belief that urgent change was necessary to prevent Nigeria from collapsing.

“

Every time I look at how I’m struggling to raise 5 children with my meager salary, I get worried. I attended Army Day Secondary School, but today, how many of us afford to take our children to these schools, and for one reason or the other, which is connected to the bad governance.

According to Ma'aji, the alleged plan involved mobilizing like-minded officers, but he insists the group had not progressed to executing any operations before his arrest. He described the situation as Nigeria turning into a "banana republic" and expressed a belief that the country was on a dangerous path, functioning better under past military regimes. The plan, he explained, was still in the mobilization phase, awaiting the formation of a complete team, the availability of resources, and the involvement of more officers.

“

The summary of all this is that this action was driven by the desire to have a prosperous nation and country that we all can be proud of. It got to a point that I was worried that if nothing is done, we may not have a country to call our own in the near future.

Ma'aji also claimed to have personally financed much of the alleged plot. He stated that the group was still in the process of organizing further meetings and had not set a specific date for any action. His arrest, he implies, halted any potential progression of the alleged conspiracy.

“

Nigeria was turning into a banana republic right before our eyes. We know that during the era of the military regime, the country was functioning better. I believe that, as it is now, we are on a dangerous trajectory.