Crime
I Was Targeted for Arrest and Assassination — Defence Minister on Failed Coup
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), on Sunday disclosed that he was among the intended targets of the recently foiled coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, revealing that the conspirators planned to arrest or shoot him if he resisted.
Musa made the disclosure while speaking as a guest on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, where he also described the suspects behind the plot as “a bunch of very unserious individuals.”
While admitting that he played a key role in helping security agencies nip the plot in the bud, the former Chief of Defence Staff said he was personally marked for arrest by the plotters.
“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,” he said.
“But that’s the job. Anybody who goes into coup zeroes his mind because he knows if he succeeds, good.
If he doesn’t succeed, whatever consequences come, you are ready for it.”
Musa dismissed the capacity of the suspects to successfully challenge the Nigerian state, saying their actions showed a complete misunderstanding of Nigeria’s democratic history and the strength of its armed forces.
“But again, I think these guys were just a bunch of very unserious individuals that I really don’t know. If you look at the calibre of the individuals, I really don’t know what got into their heads to think that they could take on the armed forces like that,” he said.
He added that even without the intervention of the military, Nigerians would have resisted any attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government.
“What I even said was that even Nigerians would have fought them. Even without the armed forces, Nigerians would have stood against them. Remember how Nigerians fought against the military rule for quite some time. And that’s why Mr. President has always been one of them.
“So now, for them to think they could just wake up one morning and do that in Nigeria, I think something went wrong in there. They need to reset their brains.”
Speaking on the arrests made so far, the Defence Minister said most of those involved had been apprehended, with only “maybe one or two” still at large.
“So far, most of them have been caught. If there’s anyone, maybe one or two. It just started from the colonel himself, who felt disgruntled because he was not promoted. He didn’t meet the marks to be promoted,” he said.
Musa explained that the plot was driven largely by personal grievances, noting that the armed forces’ promotion system is strict and merit-based.
“You know that the armed forces is really very strict about its promotions system. But he didn’t make it. So what he decided to do was probably go around, look at other people that had one issue or the other…with the aim of bringing them in,” he said.
Expressing concern for junior officers allegedly drawn into the plot, Musa said, “My pain is all those young officers who didn’t understand what was going on that he put in this mess. Now they have to face the consequences.
“So everything evolves around him as an individual. But he was just a colonel. I can’t even imagine a colonel ever thinking of doing such a thing.”
The Defence Minister stressed that executing a coup in modern-day Nigeria was virtually impossible, unlike in the past.“That was in the past. That was Nigeria of yesteryears. It’s impossible,” he said, adding that security agencies relied on verified facts, not speculation, before acting.
“If there’s a situation where you hear that somebody is trying to do something and you walk in, what facts do you have because you are going to go to the courts? If you can’t present it in the courts, then they throw you away. And then you look stupid.”
He said the investigation was thorough and collaborative, involving multiple intelligence agencies to avoid indicting innocent officers.
“Since I was there, I was the one who inaugurated the board. I made sure the board started. We sent them to DIA to do a thorough investigation along with the NIA, DSS, and every other person. So it’s a holistic investigation that was carried out because we didn’t want any innocent person to be indicted,” Musa said.
He dismissed claims that the plot was driven by dissatisfaction with the current administration, insisting it predated Tinubu’s inauguration.
“These things were planned even right before the president took office. So it was a plan they had ahead of him since they knew he was the one who won the election,” he said, describing the development as “quite unfortunate.”
Musa further noted that past coups succeeded only with the backing of top military commanders, a factor completely absent in the current case.
“If you remember, during those days when they had coups, you had to have most of the big boys like the GOCs and service chiefs…You don’t have any of such. They are just very low-ranking individuals that have no access to some of these things,” he said.
“For anybody to want to truncate democracy in this disposition, I think there’s something really wrong with them.”
Musa’s comments came a day after Sunday PUNCH reported that former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, may be arraigned in absentia over alleged financial crimes, amid ongoing investigations into the purported coup plot.
Sylva has remained outside the country for months after operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency raided his Abuja residence, an action linked to investigations into the alleged attempt to overthrow Tinubu’s administration.
It was gathered that the former governor, who has also been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged $14,859,257 fraud, could be arraigned in absentia.
Top officials of the Department of State Services and the EFCC disclosed that the International Criminal Police Organisation and other partners were tracking Sylva.
In October 2025, the Defence Headquarters had dismissed reports of a coup attempt, despite the arrest of 16 officers accused of sponsoring the plot.
In a statement on October 18, 2025, the then Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, denied reports linking the arrests to a failed coup and the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade, describing them as “intended to cause unnecessary tension.”
However, the military later reversed its position. Last Monday, the new Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba confirmed that investigations had indeed uncovered a plot to topple Tinubu’s administration, adding that several officers had cases to answer.
The controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council scandal deepened on Monday following the reported arrest of the father of the council’s embattled promoter, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.
Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, is currently standing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation. The Federal Government has listed the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and 10 others as prosecution witnesses.
The arrest of Adeyemi’s father reportedly took place at the family’s residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, on Monday. According to Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, police officers stormed the residence and took the elderly man into custody.
“The father has been arrested. There is no legal basis for substituted arrests. The young man has promised to appear in court, so why arrest his father?” Falana said.
Eyewitnesses alleged that police officers arrived in four vehicles, prevented neighbours from intervening, and took the elderly man to a police station. A family friend who was visiting the residence was also reportedly arrested, while Adeyemi’s aged mother was left in a state of shock.
The development has sparked concerns among legal practitioners and human rights advocates over the legality of the arrest.
President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, cautioned against drawing conclusions without knowing the reasons behind the arrest.
“If a person is arrested solely to pressure a suspect to surrender, such an arrest is unlawful,” Osigwe said. “However, if the father is himself a suspect or a person of interest in the investigation, then the law permits his arrest.”
Similarly, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Sam Erugo, maintained that arresting a parent for an offence allegedly committed by a child is unlawful.
According to Erugo, Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, expressly prohibits arrest by proxy or in lieu of another person.
He, however, urged the Nigeria Police Force to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest, stressing that the public deserves a clear explanation from the authorities.
The Nigeria Police Force had yet to issue an official statement on the reported arrest as of the time of filing this report.
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Nigeria’s foreign ministry said on Sunday one man was killed in front of his shop in the northeastern city of eMalahleni by unidentified criminals.
It gave no more details on the incident, which it said took place on Sunday, June 28 — on a weekend when tensions were building up ahead of nationwide anti-migrant rallies last week.
Vigilantes have attacked foreign nationals and looted foreign-owned shops on numerous occasions in the last few months, as South Africans blame immigrants for problems such as crime and unemployment. Migrant rights groups say foreigners are being used as scapegoats for deep-rooted problems.
Ghana said last week one of its citizens was fatally wounded in a shooting during the anti-immigrant demonstrations. South Africa said his killing was not related to the protests and accused Ghana of spreading misinformation.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the attacks against migrants. Police said they arrested 900 people during last week’s protests.
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Nigeria’s foreign ministry said on Sunday: “We wish to place the Government of South Africa on notice that if the situation continues to persist, all options remain on the table, some of which will be activated if the uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance… against foreigners is not addressed.”
Crime
Enugu Forest Guard Rescues Kidnap Victim, Arrests Native Doctor, Others in Intelligence-Led Operation
A coordinated operation by the Enugu State Forest Guard has led to the rescue of a kidnapped man and the arrest of four suspected criminals, including a man allegedly linked to ritual activities connected to the abduction.
The intelligence-driven operation was carried out in the Ette axis of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area following credible information that a young man, identified as Samson Eleje Abah, had been lured into a forest and abducted by suspected criminals.
Acting swiftly on the intelligence, operatives of the Forest Guard stormed the location, rescued the victim unharmed, and arrested three suspects identified as Reuben Okwudili, Reuben Gebechukwu Chinoso, and Reuben Emeka.
The suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Forest Guard said further intelligence gathered during the operation led to the arrest of John Agbo, a resident of Ofante Egberi in Kogi State, who allegedly travelled to the community to perform ritual activities believed to be connected to the kidnapping. He has also been transferred to the police to assist with ongoing investigations.
According to the agency, preliminary findings, supported by consultations with community leaders, revealed that residents had previously raised concerns about the alleged criminal activities of some of the suspects and had consistently provided intelligence to security agencies.
Community leaders condemned the incident and reaffirmed their commitment to partnering with security agencies by providing timely and credible information to combat crime. They also announced the imposition of traditional sanctions on the family of the principal suspects in accordance with local customs, stressing that criminality would not be tolerated in the community.
Describing the operation as another major breakthrough in its intelligence-led security campaign, the Forest Guard reiterated its commitment to tackling kidnapping, violent crime, and other security threats across Enugu State.
The Commander of the Enugu State Forest Guard, Dr. Akinbayo O. Olasoji, commended the operatives for their professionalism, courage, and swift response.
“We commend our operatives for their professionalism and prompt action in rescuing the victim and apprehending the suspects,” Olasoji said.
He urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence, emphasizing that public cooperation remains vital in the fight against crime.
“The Forest Guard will sustain aggressive patrols and deepen collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure criminal elements have no safe haven in Enugu State,” he added.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed how suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo boys, stole more than ₦7.2 million from the bank account of a serving judge in a midnight cyberattack.
Olukoyede made the revelation during the public presentation of two books authored by retired High Court judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye.
According to the EFCC chairman, the judge contacted him around 1 a.m. after receiving multiple debit alerts from her bank account. She told him that about ₦7.2 million—money she had saved over six years for her child’s education—had been fraudulently withdrawn.
He said the commission immediately swung into action and, despite legal restrictions limiting certain investigative activities in the state where the incident occurred, successfully recovered the entire sum before the close of business that same day.
Olukoyede said the incident underscores the increasing threat of cybercrime in Nigeria and warned that many people only appreciate its devastating impact after becoming victims.
He called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, the judiciary and the public to combat internet-related crimes more effectively.
The EFCC boss also urged the National Assembly and legal experts to review existing laws to accommodate the use of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations, noting that current legal provisions make it difficult for AI-generated evidence to be admitted in court.
Also speaking at the event, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN), urged anti-corruption agencies to intensify efforts to recover stolen public funds traced to foreign countries.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Prosecution witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) has cleared former Minister of Labor and Employment Senator Chris Ngige of allegations of ground to the tune of N80 Million.
Ngige was charged on 5 counts of conferring UNDUE advantage to 5 companies said to belong to his Associates and 3 counts of receiving monetary gifts of N38m ,and N42m through his Sen Chris Ngige Foundation Scholarship scheme and Sen Chris Ngige Campaign Organisation respectively.
Recall that on the strength of this matter the former Anambra state Governor was last year remanded at kuje Correction Center for three days and later granted bail.
Sen Ngige pleaded not guilty to the charges and pleads his innocence. Political observers believes the Minister is being witch hunted.
The EFCC prosecution witness at a Federal capital territory Court presided by Justice Marian Hassan again told the court that there was no undue influence,nor interference by the former Minister of Labour & Employment, Senator Dr Chris Ngige during the 12 months period that the NSITF Procurement was domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment between 2021and 2022.
The Procurement activities in the Parastatal’s Tenders board PTB and the Ministerial Tenders Board MTB performed their activities with due process and no hindrance.
The witness; Dr Maduka Onwusoro,now a Permanent Secretary said he served as Director of Procurement in the Labour Ministry 2019 up to 2023,with his Deputy Ms Joyce Akponor who was later deployed to NSITF on their request to man the needs of the various Departments ,collate bids and forward for PTB and MTB awards between 2021 and 2022.
Under Cross Examination by Lead defence Counsel PIN Ikwueto SAN the witness took a look at an Exhibit tendered by the Prosecution, he then affirmed that the approval annotation made on the document were his and affirmed that all the companies recommended and approval by the MTB in the document were done on merit and that there was no UNDUE interference or influence by anyone.
The Ex -Minister was being accused of conferring undue advantage Messrs Zitacom Ltd,Shale Atlantic ,and Olde English Consolidated ltd were on the list with many other companies.
The witness said as overall supervisor of Procurement activities no pressure was brought on him in connection with the 3 companies.
Earlier during his appearance last Thursday the same witness was emphatic that two other Companies Messrs Cezimo Ltd and Jeff & Xris Ltd also passed through due process and got their contracts on merit because there were pre- qualified and gave lowest bids.
Thereafter the defence sought to tender through the Bar some documents which were approvals and directives given to the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation( SGF )and the former Minister, Ngige by the former President Muhammadu Buhari but the Prosecution opposed and pointed out that the certification of the documents by the Federal Ministry of Labour Human Resources Department were not properly done in accordance with a past Supreme Court ruling on certification of documents.
This prompted the defence team to withdraw the application to tender them ,to enable them do the needful.
Thereafter the Judge adjourned the matter to October 14 2026 for further hearing.
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