Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has said that military officers arrested in connection with a foiled coup plot were fully aware of the consequences of their actions and are prepared to face the outcome.
Musa made the remarks during an interview on TRT World, a Turkish international broadcaster, where he addressed concerns surrounding the arrest and treatment of the accused officers. He assured both Nigerians and the international community that the suspects would be granted a fair trial in line with the law, including unhindered access to legal counsel of their choice.
According to the Defence Minister, the government is also taking steps to ensure that the families of the accused officers are not unfairly punished for actions they did not commit. He explained that the welfare of the suspects’ wives and children is being handled responsibly by the government.
“They must have made up their minds when they decided to do this and must have considered their families,” Musa said. “But even at that, the government is ensuring that their families are treated fairly. Their family members are not left alone. The government is making sure that their wives and children are looked after.”
He added that the alleged coup plotters were fully aware of the serious repercussions of their actions and had likely accepted those consequences before proceeding. “The perpetrators already know the repercussion of their action, and I’m sure they are ready to face the wrath,” he stated.
It will be recalled that 16 military officers, including a Brigadier-General and a Colonel, were arrested in October 2025 by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) over the alleged coup plot. The DHQ later confirmed, on January 26, that the officers were involved in a plan to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to military authorities, the plot was uncovered in late September 2025 through joint intelligence efforts involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). The alleged plan reportedly included attempts to assassinate President Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and other senior government and military officials.
