- Safiu Kehinde
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (Rtd), has further opened up on the failed military coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.
Musa disclosed that he was also targeted by the now arrested coup plotters with the intention to get him arrested or killed if he attempt to resist arrest.
The former Chief of Defence Staff made this known while speaking on Channels TV Sunday Politics yesterday.
Musa described the coup plotters who are now set to be court martialed as a bunch of unserious individuals.
While maintaining that Nigerians would have outrightly fought against the coup if successful, the ex-CDS disclosed that they soldiers were been led by a Colonel who felt disgruntled over his lack of promotion.
“I was also a target. I was supposed to be arrested and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot.
“But that’s the job. Anybody who goes into coup, you succeed, good. You don’t succeed, whatever consequences that comes, you are ready for it.
“I think these guys were just bunch of very unserious individuals. If you look at the calibre of the individuals, I don’t know what got into their head to think that they could take on the Armed Forces like that.
“Even without the Armed Forces, Nigerians would have fought them. Nigerians would have stood against them.
“Remember Nigerians fought against the military rule for quite sometime. And that’s why Mr. President has always been one of them.
“Now for them to think they could just wake up one morning and do that in Nigeria, I think they need to reset their brains.
“So far, most of them have been caught. If there is anyone left, maybe one or two.
“It just started from the Colonel himself who felt disgruntled because he was not promoted. He didn’t meet the mark to be promoted,
“What he decided to do is to probably go round, look at one people or the other who were not promoted or feel they were not posted rightly and all those things. They tried to bring them in.” He said.
Musa expressed his sadness over the involvement of some young officers who he claimed had no idea about what they were been lured to do.
“My pain is all those young officers that didn’t understand what was going on that he has put in this mess and now they have to face the consequences.” He said.
On his ministerial appointment, the former Army Chief refuted claim of it being a compensation from the President.
“For me, it is not a compensation. He understands that what we are doing was sincere and we were deliberate about it and wanted the best for our country.” He added.