Defence Minister Reveals What Will Happen To Some Suspects Involved In ‘Coup Plot’ Against Tinubu

Defence Minister Reveals What Will Happen To Some Suspects Involved In ‘Coup Plot’ Against TinubuDefence Minister Reveals What Will Happen To Some Suspects Involved In ‘Coup Plot’ Against Tinubu

Minister of Defence Christopher Musa reveals suspects in the alleged coup plot against President Tinubu without a case will be released after investigations.

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has stated that some suspects detained in connection with the alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu will be cleared and released if thorough investigations reveal they have no case to answer.

Musa disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Thursday, addressing public inquiries regarding why certain individuals arrested in connection with the probe had not yet been formally charged.

Explaining the screening process, the minister remarked, “So, if you don’t have any case, after the investigation, they’ll be released. Those that have serious issues are the ones that are going…”

He noted that security personnel are carrying out exhaustive background checks to ensure innocent citizens are not unfairly penalized during the exercise.

Emphasizing the focus on principal offenders, Musa stated, “We want to take time to make sure that anybody that is freed doesn’t deserve to be punished. All those ones that will go for prosecution should be the ones that are actually the main actors.”

He confirmed that joint intelligence operations involving the Department of State Services and the National Intelligence Agency are ongoing, while several suspects have already been arraigned.

Addressing the current jurisdiction over charged individuals, he noted, “I think they’ve been investigated. They’ve taken them to court, so it’s still with the courts. It’s not with us; it’s still with the courts.”

The minister reaffirmed that the security threat was genuine, describing the masterminds behind the subversion plan as “a bunch of misguided individuals” who genuinely intended to execute their plan.

Dismissing suggestions that the plot was driven by mainstream political interests, Musa provided insight into the probable motives behind the conspiracy.

“No. I think the intent of the plotters is they just probably reminisce about the past military regimes, how they became governors and became ministers and all this, and they felt, ‘Man, it’s been a long time. Maybe it’s time for us to also be able to benefit from that,’” he explained.

He added that security agencies are actively pursuing additional fleeing accomplices while ensuring that unverified intelligence does not wrongly implicate innocent parties.

The investigation stems from an October 2025 announcement by Defence Headquarters concerning the detention of 16 senior officers over service regulation breaches, which later expanded into a full treason inquiry.

Interim findings indicated that a secretive group led by an Army colonel had initiated preliminary reconnaissance targeting strategic national facilities including the Presidential Villa, Niger Barracks, and key international airports.

The case escalated into civil court when the Federal Government filed a 13-count charge involving treason, terrorism, and money laundering against six individuals, including retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana and former petroleum minister Timipre Sylva who was declared at large.

While the six defendants pleaded not guilty before the Federal High Court in Abuja, 36 serving military officers, including Brigadier General M.A. Sadiq, are facing separate proceedings before a General Court Martial.

Musa concluded by cautioning against allowing the incident to destabilize constitutional governance, urging citizens to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic institutions.