Musa: Officers linked to foiled coup knew consequences of their actions

Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s minister of defence, says military officers arrested over the foiled coup attempt were fully aware of the consequences of their actions.

Sixteen officers, including a brigadier general and a colonel, were arrested in October 2025. At the time, the defence headquarters (DHQ) said the arrests were linked to acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.

On January 26, the DHQ confirmed that the arrests were connected to a plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.

According to the military, the plot was uncovered in late September 2025 through joint intelligence from the army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

The alleged plan included the assassination of Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and other top government officials, as well as the arrest of senior military officers.

Speaking during an interview on TRT World, a Turkish broadcaster, Musa said the accused officers would be granted a fair trial and allowed access to legal counsel of their choice.

He added that the federal government was taking steps to ensure that the families of the suspects were treated fairly.

“They must have made up their minds when they decided to do this and must have considered their families,” Musa said.

“Even so, the government is ensuring that their families are not abandoned. Their wives and children are being looked after.

“The perpetrators already understand the repercussions of their actions, and they are prepared to face them.”