- A serving colonel made a full confession about an alleged plot to topple President Bola Tinubu’s government, naming several military officers
- Colonel Ma’aji said the movement was driven by patriotism and frustration over Nigeria’s economic decline, not personal ambition
- The Defence Headquarters described the arrests of military officers as a routine internal disciplinary process, stopping short of a denial
A Nigerian Army colonel arrested in connection with an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu has made a detailed confession, naming fellow officers and civilians he said were part of the movement, according to a Premium Times report.
Colonel Ma’aji, in a verbatim statement shared by Premium Times, said the plot grew out of deep concern about Nigeria’s direction rather than any personal ambition.
Source: Twitter
“This has nothing to do with any ambition or personal goals. It is purely out of the desire for a prosperous country that works for everyone,” he said.
What the colonel said about the plot
Ma’aji described a slow-moving recruitment effort targeting officers who shared his frustrations about the state of the country. He said the group was still in the mobilisation phase when it was uncovered, with no confirmed date set for any action.
“There was no D-Day. We were waiting for the availability of resources and more officers and soldiers,” he said.
He identified a civilian, Timiprey Silva, as having contributed roughly 400 million naira to the movement, while describing much of the earlier spending as coming from his own pocket. He added that there were no foreign collaborators involved.
On the operational side, Ma’aji said the intended target was Nigeria’s service chiefs, who were to be placed under house arrest.
“The essence of asking them to send pictures and the given task was to place the service chiefs under arrest in the house, and not to cause interference with the movement. The coup was supposed to be carried out at night,” he said.
He also named Brigadier General Sadiq as a senior officer who was aware of the plan but later withdrew, citing concerns over funding and the need for more senior figures. He was clear that General Jalo, General Danja, and a retired Navy Captain Victor were never approached about the movement.
Ma’aji said the use of Civilian Joint Task Force members was proposed by a Major Iliyasu, who claimed the fighters already had personal rifles and could be mobilised from the North East to Abuja, though those logistics were never finalised.
Defence headquarters responds
In its first official public comment on the matter, the Defence Headquarters did not directly deny that the arrested officers were involved in a coup plot. Instead, it described the “ongoing investigation involving” the officers as “a routine internal process aimed at ensuring discipline and professionalism is maintained within the ranks.”
Nigeria has not experienced a successful coup since 1993. The latest alleged plot comes more than three decades after the country’s last military takeover, and follows a pattern of earlier attempts that were either foiled during planning or crushed mid-execution.
Source: Getty Images
Military coups in Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigeria’s military coups have shaped its political trajectory for decades. The recent 2025 coup rumours, though debunked, highlight the enduring relevance of this history.
Nigeria’s post-independence history has been punctuated by a series of military coups that have profoundly influenced its political, economic, and social development.
Source: Legit.ng