Musa: Coup plotters ‘wasting their time,’ democracy remains strong in Nigeria

Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has dismissed concerns over any planned military takeover, insisting that anyone plotting a coup in the country is “wasting their time.”

Speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Friday, Musa described military personnel currently being prosecuted over an alleged coup plot as “a bunch of confused individuals.”

The remarks come amid ongoing controversy surrounding reports of an attempted coup against the administration of President Bola Tinubu. In October 2025, the federal government cancelled the military parade planned for Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary on October 1, a decision that later sparked speculation about possible security concerns.

Days after the cancellation, reports emerged linking the decision to an alleged coup attempt. In January 2026, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that a plot to overthrow the government had been uncovered. Several military and police officers, alongside civilians, are currently facing prosecution over their alleged involvement.

Musa said he was part of the team that identified and investigated the suspects when the alleged plot surfaced. He added that those accused are being given fair opportunity to defend themselves.

According to him, the aim of ongoing military leadership is to discourage any return to military rule and reinforce the value of democracy within the armed forces.

“What we are trying to do now is to show the junior ones that coup doesn’t pay anything. Democracy is far better than any military regime, and so this is an opportunity,” Musa said during the interview.

He further criticized the alleged plotters, arguing that they misled junior officers and acted without justification.

“It’s quite unfortunate what they did… they are just a bunch of confused individuals that exposed junior officers that didn’t know their left from their right and put them into this mess,” he added.