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.
According to information released by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), the coordinated offensive targeted fighters affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), one of the deadliest extremist groups operating in the Lake Chad Basin.
AFRICOM disclosed that the operations, conducted in close collaboration with Nigerian military forces, eliminated more than 200 terrorists, including high-profile commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who had been linked to several insurgent activities in the region.
In a statement posted on its official social media platforms, AFRICOM said the operation was executed without any casualties among Nigerian or American personnel.
“AFRICOM, in continued coordination with Nigeria, conducted operations against ISIS fighters in northeast Nigeria. No U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed. The targeted operations eliminated more than 200 terrorists, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki,” the command stated.
The development marks one of the most significant joint counterterrorism successes recorded by both countries since the strengthening of military cooperation earlier this year.
Reacting to the operation, the Director of Defence Information at the Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General Samaila Uba, confirmed that the joint efforts had significantly weakened terrorist networks operating in the northeast.
Speaking during a virtual discussion hosted jointly by the Defence Headquarters and AFRICOM, Uba revealed that the collaborative operations have not only eliminated hundreds of insurgents but have also disrupted their logistics chains and command structures.
According to him, intelligence-sharing arrangements between both countries have improved the Nigerian military’s ability to identify and target terrorist camps, weapons depots, and supply routes.
“The partnership has strengthened intelligence-driven operations, leading to the destruction of terrorist enclaves, logistics infrastructure and enhanced surveillance capabilities across affected areas,” he said.
He further noted that Nigerian troops have benefited from specialized training programmes, intelligence fusion initiatives, joint planning exercises and professional military education facilitated through the partnership with the United States.
Security analysts believe the operation represents a major setback for ISIS-affiliated groups that have continued to launch attacks in parts of Borno State and neighbouring areas despite sustained military offensives.
Borno State remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s insurgency crisis, which began in 2009 with the emergence of Boko Haram before splinter groups such as ISWAP gained prominence.
Over the years, terrorists have targeted military formations, local communities, schools and critical infrastructure, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of residents across the northeast.
The elimination of senior commanders and the destruction of operational facilities are expected to weaken the insurgents’ ability to coordinate future attacks.
The latest success is expected to boost confidence in the counterterrorism strategy of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which has repeatedly pledged to intensify efforts to restore security across the country.
The operation also highlights growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly in intelligence gathering, surveillance technology and military capacity building.
While military authorities caution that the fight against terrorism is far from over, officials insist that recent gains demonstrate the effectiveness of coordinated international partnerships in tackling evolving security threats.
Security experts, however, stress that sustained military pressure, improved border security, community engagement and economic development programmes will be necessary to prevent terrorist groups from regrouping.
For residents of the northeast who have endured years of violence, the successful operation has been welcomed as another important step toward lasting peace and stability in the region.
The attack, which occurred at about 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, threw the community into mourning and heightened concerns over security in the area.
Confirming the incident in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, ASP Saliu Afusat, the Kogi State Police Command said a large number of armed bandits, operating on about 40 motorcycles, invaded the school with the suspected intention of abducting students and other residents.
The statement said the Divisional Police Officer of Kabba ‘A’ Division immediately mobilised a joint security response after receiving distress calls, deploying personnel from the police division, the Police Mobile Force, and tactical teams.
It added that military personnel and local vigilante groups already stationed in the area also joined the operation.
“The combined security operatives engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel, forcing the criminals to flee into the surrounding bush.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there is presently no conclusive evidence of a successful mass abduction of students or other residents.
The Command, however, confirmed that three persons were killed during the attack.
“They include Mr Ganiyu Anifowose, the Vice Principal of UBE Secondary/Primary School, Iluke; Mr Sunday Jacob Alhassan, aged 70 years; and Sunday Ayele, aged six years.”
The police said one of the attackers was neutralised during the exchange of gunfire, while a member of the joint security team sustained gunshot injuries and is currently receiving treatment.
The Commissioner of Police has ordered sustained bush-combing operations and confidence-building patrols in the affected area. According to the Command, joint security operatives are still conducting intensive operations to apprehend fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks.
Members of the public were urged to remain calm and assist security agencies with credible information.
“Further developments will be communicated as investigations and operations progress,” the statement added.
The Edo State Government has ordered the temporary closure of three public secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following intelligence reports of a potential kidnapping threat targeting students.
The affected schools are Ososo Grammar School, Ososo Comprehensive High School and Makeke Secondary School.
The directive, issued through the State Ministry of Education, followed security advisories warning of possible attacks on educational institutions in the area.
In a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Enodolomwanyi Otamere, the government said the closure was a precautionary measure aimed at protecting students, teachers and host communities pending further security assessments.
Sources familiar with the development revealed that intelligence gathered by security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), indicated that suspected criminal elements were plotting attacks on schools in Edo North Senatorial District.
According to the sources, kidnappers may have shifted focus to schools after previous attempts to abduct wealthy individuals reportedly yielded little financial gain. Security operatives were also said to have intercepted information suggesting that attacks on schools could attract quicker attention and higher ransom payments.
Tension heightened after the arrest of a suspect allegedly caught conducting surveillance around Makeke Secondary School in early June. Investigators believe the development may be connected to the reported threat.
Following the intelligence reports, security agencies advised the state government to take preventive measures, including strengthening security around schools and other public facilities. Recommendations reportedly included increased patrols, enhanced intelligence gathering and closer collaboration with local vigilante groups and community security outfits.
The ministry announced that all academic and administrative activities in the affected schools have been suspended until further notice.
However, candidates participating in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will continue to sit for their papers under enhanced security arrangements.
The government said security personnel and community stakeholders would work together to ensure the safety of examination candidates throughout the exercise.
School authorities have been directed to facilitate the safe return of students to their parents and guardians, secure school facilities and maintain close communication with security agencies during the closure period.
The state government appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security personnel, assuring them that efforts are underway to neutralise any threat and restore normal academic activities as soon as possible.
Gunmen have abducted the Vice Chairman of Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State, Hon. Debo Farounbi, during an attack on Ora community along the Osun/Kwara boundary.
The incident reportedly occurred around 10 p.m. on Tuesday when the armed men invaded the community and fired several gunshots into the air, throwing residents into panic.
Farounbi was reportedly abducted alongside three other persons during the attack.
However, security operatives, including military personnel and local vigilantes stationed in the area, engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon three of the victims.
According to residents, the gunmen eventually escaped with Farounbi after the exchange of gunfire.
One resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers had initially succeeded in moving the victims toward a nearby bush before security operatives intervened.
“Four people, two Fulani women and two men including the Ifedayo Local Government Vice Chairman, Debo Farounbi were abducted. But the resistance put up by the military made the perpetrators to abandon three people.
“They however went away with Farounbi. Our people did not sleep throughout the night. We are in serious fear. The incident happened around 10 p.m. on Tuesday,” the resident said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, said security agencies had launched efforts to rescue the council vice chairman.
“One person was abducted. He is a local government vice chairman, Hon. Debo Farounbi. Immediately the incident happened, the military, police and others responded. Efforts are in place to rescue the man. It is abduction until we are able to prove that it is a case of kidnapping,” Ojelabi stated.
A middle-aged woman has been arrested by the police in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State for allegedly throwing her five-year-old physically challenged son into a river after a self-proclaimed prophet reportedly told her that the child was a python.
The suspect was apprehended by angry residents shortly after the incident at a riverbank in the community.
According to reports, the woman confessed that she acted on the instruction of a spiritualist based in Benin City, who allegedly convinced her that the child was responsible for her inability to have more children.
The woman explained that she had suffered several miscarriages after giving birth to the child and sought spiritual assistance in an effort to overcome her fertility challenges.
In a video circulating on social media, the suspect reportedly said: “Every pregnancy ended in miscarriage. A seer told me to put my five-year-old child inside the river and that I would be able to give birth again. The seer said if I put my baby inside the river, the child would turn into a python.”
She claimed the spiritualist convinced her that the physically challenged child was a spiritual obstacle preventing her from conceiving successfully.
Acting on the alleged advice, she reportedly took the child to a nearby river and threw him into the water.
Residents who noticed her suspicious movements near the riverbank reportedly rushed to the scene but arrived after the child had already been thrown into the river.
The woman was immediately detained by community members and later handed over to law enforcement authorities.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents, child rights advocates and public health experts, who condemned the role of superstition and misinformation in the tragedy.
The suspect is currently in police custody and is expected to face prosecution.
Meanwhile, community leaders and human rights groups have called for the arrest and prosecution of the self-styled prophet alleged to have influenced the woman to commit the act.
Police authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
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