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Nigerian Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji has revealed why he became involved in an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.

He cited insecurity, corruption, economic hardship and concerns about the welfare of military personnel as the reason for the coup plot.

Fresh court documents reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES showed how the alleged plan was discussed, funded and later revived before security agencies disrupted it in September 2025.

Ma’aji is among several serving military officers currently facing proceedings before a General Court Martial over the alleged plot.

Six retired military personnel and civilians are also being prosecuted separately at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

All the defendants have denied wrongdoing.Geographic Reference

In a statement attributed to Ma’aji during interrogation, he said discussions about military intervention began in 2023, towards the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

He said the discussions were driven by concerns about the worsening security situation, corruption, poor governance and the growing economic difficulties facing Nigerians.

Ma’aji said he and others believed the country was heading towards a dangerous situation and began identifying military officers who shared their concerns about the state of the nation.

According to his account, the initial plan did not progress because the group lacked sufficient funds, manpower and logistics.

He claimed that he personally financed many of the activities by selling some of his properties and receiving contributions from some members.

He reportedly sold three houses in Kaduna State and a student hostel at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to raise money for activities linked to the group.

The alleged movement was later revived after Ma’aji failed to secure promotion to brigadier general for the second time in 2024.

He said some officers contacted him after the failed promotion and urged him to bring back the plan.

Lieutenant Colonel Shamsuddeen Bappah was identified as one of those who allegedly pushed for the revival.

The documents said Bappah travelled from Ibadan to Abuja to meet Ma’aji and discuss the matter.

He was also said to have considered selling a plot of land in Bauchi to raise funds, although the property was reportedly not sold.

Following the revival, meetings were allegedly held at different locations in Abuja, including Brookville Hotel and Greenland Hotel in Lokogoma.

Ma’aji said the meetings involved some of the officers who had been part of the earlier discussions, while additional people were also introduced.

He, however, denied that his failed promotion was the main reason behind the alleged plan.

Instead, he pointed to several national policies and problems, including fuel subsidy removal, naira reforms, taxation, electricity tariffs, corruption and insecurity.

He also referred to the #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance protests, saying the demonstrations showed the level of frustration among many Nigerians over unemployment, economic hardship and poor living conditions.

The colonel also raised concerns about the welfare of members of the armed forces. He complained about military salaries, the treatment of wounded soldiers, housing, healthcare and the condition of retired personnel.

He said he was particularly troubled by the situation of soldiers who sustained injuries during operations and were allegedly left without adequate support.

The documents further revealed allegations that the group attempted to recruit more officers, soldiers and civilians.

Some individuals were reportedly contacted through existing relationships, while meetings were used to discuss possible roles within the alleged movement.

Ma’aji also spoke about an alleged proposal to mobilise members of the Civilian Joint Task Force from the North-East.

He said the idea was to bring personnel to Abuja, although the plan was not fully developed.

He maintained that there was no fixed date for the alleged coup because the group was still trying to obtain more resources and recruit additional personnel.

According to his account, the alleged operation was expected to take place at night and involved plans to place some senior military officials under arrest.

However, he said the preparations had not reached the point of execution when security agencies intervened.

Ma’aji named several serving and retired officers while discussing the alleged movement.

He also denied the involvement of some people mentioned in the investigation and said certain officers had only been informed about the discussions.

The alleged plot came under security investigation after Ma’aji was arrested on September 29, 2025, shortly before the Federal Government cancelled the October 1 Independence Day parade.

He was subsequently interrogated between October 18, 2025, and February 19, 2026, according to the records cited in the investigation.

The Defence Headquarters initially described the detention of the officers as an internal process aimed at maintaining discipline within the military.

It later confirmed that an alleged plot had been uncovered and said officers found culpable would face military judicial proceedings.

By February, about 40 serving and retired military personnel, police officers and civilians had reportedly been arrested or questioned in connection with the investigation.

In April, the Federal Government filed 13 charges against six defendants at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Those charged include retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Presidential Villa electrician Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Islamic cleric Abdulkadir Sani.

Several serving officers, including Ma’aji, are facing separate court-martial proceedings.

The admissibility of statements obtained during the investigation has also become an issue in the cases.

Some defendants have challenged the statements attributed to them, arguing that they were not made voluntarily.

The prosecution has rejected the claims and maintained that the proper procedures were followed.

The court consequently ordered a trial-within-trial to determine whether the disputed statements were made voluntarily before deciding whether they could be used as evidence.

Meanwhile, former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva has denied allegations that he financed the alleged plot.

Sylva, who served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under Buhari, said through his spokesperson that he had no involvement in planning or providing logistics for any coup attempt.

Five people linked to him are facing separate charges over allegations that they concealed his whereabouts, while nine properties associated with him are under an interim forfeiture order.

The allegations contained in Ma’aji’s statement remain subject to judicial proceedings, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the courts.

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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has debunked reports in some section of the media suggesting that he was lobbying to be made Director-General (DG) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

The Minister, who reiterated his unflinching support for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said that he does not need to be the DG or even member of the President’s Campaign Council to deliver ensure that the President wins massively in Rivers State and the FCT.

A report in some section of the media had listed the FCT among top party chieftains and government officials lobbying or being mentioned for the position of the APC Presidential Campaign Council DG.

However, reacting through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the FCT described the report as false, saying he did not at any time discuss leadership or even membership of the Presidential Campaign Council with anyone.

He said; “I am outside Nigeria, resting and relaxing after spending over 30 days, commissioning projects, flagging off new ones and inspecting ongoing ones, especially those scheduled for commissioning in December and January, next year.

“When I return, our focus will be the continuous delivery of our mandate in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and to further enhance his electoral fortune in Rivers State and the FCT.

“Therefore, I do not need to be the DG or even member of the Presidential Campaign Council of Mr President’s political party to contribute my quota by ensuring that he wins handsomely in Rivers State and the FCT.”

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed 10,210 personnel and specialised tactical units to Osun State ahead of the guber election.

The Commandant-General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, ordered the deployment as part of efforts to strengthen security across the state and ensure a peaceful electoral process.

The National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

According to Afolabi, the deployment, which commenced on Monday, is aimed at providing a secure environment for voters, electoral officials, observers, journalists and residents to participate in the election without fear or intimidation.

The statement said personnel from the Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) State Commands would reinforce the Osun State Command.

It added that about 1,000 personnel from each of the commands would be deployed, comprising both uniformed and undercover operatives, to strengthen security coverage across the state alongside other security agencies.

Audi also directed the deployment of specialised formations with capabilities tailored to the security requirements of the election.

They include the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad (SIS), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, Specialised Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad and K9 Unit.

The statement said the specialised teams would complement the regular deployment through intelligence gathering, crime prevention and detection, protection of critical assets, crowd control and other security responsibilities within their areas of competence.

For effective coordination of the election security operations, the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Operations, DCG Ayuba Phillip, alongside designated Assistant Commandants-General and other senior officers, will relocate to Osun State to supervise the deployment.

Audi assured residents that the NSCDC would maintain professionalism, impartiality and respect for citizens’ rights throughout the electoral process.

He stressed that the protection of election materials, electoral officials and voters would remain a priority for the Corps.

Audi also directed personnel to work in unbiased synergy with other security agencies on election duty to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

The Commandant-General warned that the NSCDC, in collaboration with other security agencies, would not tolerate activities capable of disrupting the electoral process.

He added that political thugs and other individuals planning to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election would face the law in accordance with the Electoral Act.

The NSCDC appealed to political parties, candidates, supporters and residents to maintain peace and allow the democratic process to take its course.

It said the Corps would continue to work with the Nigeria Police Force, military and other sister security agencies under the established inter-agency security framework to ensure effective coordination across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas.

Audi further urged residents to remain calm, peaceful and vigilant during the election period and cooperate with security personnel.

He also encouraged members of the public to report suspicious activities and security concerns promptly to the appropriate security authorities.