Christopher Musa has said that officers accused of plotting a coup planned to shoot him if he resisted arrest.
Musa disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television on Sunday, saying he was identified as a key target by those behind the alleged plot.
At the time the plot was allegedly uncovered, Musa was serving as Nigeria’s chief of defence staff.
“I was also a target,” Musa said. “I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot.”
The defence minister said those involved were aware of the consequences of attempting to overthrow the government, adding that coup attempts are deliberate acts taken with full knowledge of the risks involved.
“Anybody who goes into a coup knows what it means,” he said. “If you succeed, fine. If you don’t, you are ready for whatever comes.”
Musa questioned the judgement of the officers accused of involvement, describing them as lacking seriousness and capacity to confront the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“I don’t know what they were thinking,” he said. “If you look at the calibre of the people involved, I don’t know how they imagined they could take on the Armed Forces. Even Nigerians would not have supported them.”
The comments follow months of official silence and speculation surrounding an alleged coup attempt uncovered in late 2025.
In October last year, the federal government cancelled the parade planned to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary, a move that fuelled reports of possible security concerns. At the time, the Defence Headquarters denied any link between the cancellation and coup allegations.
Later that month, reports emerged that several military officers had been arrested, though the military initially said the arrests were unrelated to any attempt to overthrow the government.
On January 26, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that a plot to remove Bola Tinubu had been uncovered through joint intelligence operations involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services, and the Defence Intelligence Agency.
According to the military, the alleged plan included attempts to assassinate President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and other senior government officials, as well as plans to arrest senior military leaders.