…Says He was Marked for Death in Foiled Coup
…Warns Shielding Criminals Worsens Insecurity
By Franklin Adole
Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that he was a prime target in a foiled coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even as he warned that Nigeria’s worsening security challenge is being fuelled by “enemies within” communities who shield criminals and undermine national stability.
Musa, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, made the revelations in separate public appearances, painting a grim picture of a country battling both internal subversion within its armed forces and an increasingly complex form of insecurity embedded in society.
In a television interview aired yesterday, the defence minister said coup plotters had planned to arrest him and shoot him if he resisted, describing the scheme as far-reaching and deadly.
“I was also a target, I am sure you know. I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” Musa said.
His comments came days after the military confirmed that about 16 officers arrested in October 2025 over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations would now face trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Tinubu administration.
According to the military authorities, investigations revealed that several of the officers were linked to a conspiracy that ran contrary to the ethics and professional standards of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said those found to have a case to answer would be arraigned before an appropriate military judicial panel in line with the Armed Forces Act.
Sources indicated that several senior government officials and prominent national figures were also pencilled down for assassination as part of the failed coup plot.
Speaking later on TRT World, a Turkish international broadcaster, Musa said the accused officers were fully aware of the consequences of their actions and were prepared to face trial. He assured that due process would be followed, including access to legal representation of their choice.
“The perpetrators already know the repercussion of their action, and I’m sure they are ready to face the wrath of the law,” he said.
In a move aimed at separating justice from collective punishment, the defence minister added that the federal government would ensure that the families of the alleged coup plotters were not abandoned.
“Their family members are not left alone. The government is making sure that their wives and children are looked after,” Musa said, stressing that the actions of individuals should not translate into suffering for innocent dependants.
Beyond the coup revelations, Musa used another public platform to widen the conversation on Nigeria’s broader security crisis, warning that the country’s greatest danger lies not just in armed groups, but in citizens who knowingly or unknowingly protect them.
Speaking on Saturday night in Abuja at the 7th OurNigeria News Awards, the defence minister said insecurity had become more dangerous because criminals now live and operate within communities, often shielded by silence and complicity.
“This is asymmetric warfare. It is not like conventional warfare where you are fighting another country. In this case, the enemy is within, and that makes it more dangerous,” Musa said.
He explained that bandits, terrorists, kidnappers and insurgents increasingly blend into civilian populations, making intelligence gathering more difficult and placing a heavier burden on public cooperation.
“You cannot see it on someone’s face. It could be someone you think is your friend or someone you trust. That is why people must not give criminals any safe haven,” he warned.
Musa urged Nigerians to take collective responsibility for national security by reporting suspicious activities promptly, assuring that security agencies would act decisively on credible intelligence.
Despite the challenges, the defence minister said there were signs of gradual improvement in the security situation, attributing the gains to sustained military operations, better intelligence coordination and growing citizen support.
“We are getting there. It is improving by the day. Peace is a whole-of-society effort, and everyone has a role to play,” he said.