ENUGU, Nigeria, (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has assured that suspects arrested in connection with the alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration will be released if investigations establish that they have no case to answer.
Musa said the authorities were taking their time with the investigation to ensure that innocent persons were not wrongly implicated, stressing that only those found to have played significant roles in the alleged plot would face prosecution.
The minister stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He said investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, were still ongoing, while some suspects had already been arraigned before the courts.
“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” Musa said.
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According to him, the government was particularly concerned about ensuring that anyone eventually released had not been wrongly subjected to punishment.
“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 said.
Musa maintained that the alleged coup plot was genuine, saying those involved had intended to execute their plan.
He, however, described the alleged plotters as “a bunch of misguided individuals”, dismissing suggestions that the development was politically motivated.
“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 said.
The minister disclosed that some suspects were still at large, adding that security agencies were continuing their efforts to locate them.
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He also said the government was determined to ensure that the investigation did not result in innocent people being made to answer for offences they did not commit.
The alleged coup investigation dates back to October 2025, when the Defence Headquarters announced the arrest of 16 senior military officers over alleged acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.
The arrests were subsequently linked by the military to an alleged plan to overthrow the Tinubu administration.
An interim investigation report later alleged that a clandestine network of military officers, reportedly coordinated by an Army colonel, had begun preliminary preparations for a coup.
The alleged plan was said to have included surveillance of strategic national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja and major international airports.
The matter later moved beyond the military investigation, with the Federal Government filing a 13-count charge against six individuals, including retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Islamic cleric Abdulkadir Sani.
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Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, was also listed as being at large.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to allegations bordering on treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security information and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
A Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.
Separately, serving military officers accused of involvement in the alleged plot are facing proceedings before a General Court Martial.
Thirty-six persons were listed in the military proceedings, including Brigadier General M.A. Sadiq and Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji.
Musa urged Nigerians not to allow the alleged coup attempt to weaken the country’s democratic institutions, stressing that national challenges should be addressed through constitutional and democratic means.