Why I led coup against Tinubu — Mohammed Ma’aji

Mohammed Ma’aji, the Nigerian Army colonel accused of leading an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, has said his actions were driven by patriotism and concerns about Nigeria’s worsening condition, rather than personal ambition.

Ma’aji said economic hardship, poor governance and the declining welfare of Nigerians and military personnel were among the issues that influenced his decision.

“What has happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and I love the job and country,” Premium Times quoted Ma’aji as saying.

“What has happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and I love the job and country,” he said.

“As we are all sitting down here, we have our biases and our thoughts and concerns on what was going on in our country from a state of gradual decline up to now, and we are almost at the point of collapse.”

The colonel also linked his concerns to the difficulty of providing for his five children on his salary, saying his personal experience had deepened his worries about the country.

“Every time I look at how I’m struggling to raise 5 children with my meager salary, I get worried,” he said.

“I attended Army Day Secondary School, but today, how many of us afford to take our children to these schools, and for one reason or the other, which is connected to the bad governance.”

Ma’aji further raised concerns about the welfare of military personnel, particularly officers and soldiers who sustained injuries during combat operations.

He alleged that some wounded soldiers receiving treatment at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna were not getting adequate care, describing their experience as a reflection of wider challenges within the armed forces.

According to him, the concerns over the country’s condition and military welfare strengthened his conviction that immediate measures were needed to alter Nigeria’s direction.

“The summary of all this is that this action was driven by the desire to have a prosperous nation and country that we all can be proud of. It got to a point that I was worried that if nothing is done, we may not have a country to call our own in the near future,” he said.

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Ma’aji said the alleged plot was still at the mobilisation stage, with plans to recruit officers who shared similar concerns, when he was arrested.

“Nigeria was turning into a banana republic right before our eyes. We know that during the era of the military regime, the country was functioning better. I believe that, as it is now, we are on a dangerous trajectory,” he added.

“The plan was to get enough officers of like minds who could participate. We were still at the stage of mobilizing to get more officers involved.

“This team has not been fully formed because there were supposed to be other meetings. There was no D-Day. We were waiting for the availability of resources and more officers and soldiers.”

The colonel said he personally financed a significant portion of the alleged operation, while Timipre Silva was said to have contributed about N400 million.

He denied any foreign involvement and said the group had not settled on a date to execute the alleged operation.

Ma’aji also denied reaching out to some senior military officers, but attributed the resurgence of the alleged movement to dissatisfaction among soldiers and his unsuccessful attempts at securing promotion.

He called for the establishment of a formal mechanism through which military officers could communicate their grievances to Waidi Shaibu, chief of army staff (COAS), without fear of victimisation.

Among his recommendations were better remuneration and welfare packages for military personnel, improved pension benefits, greater access to education and stronger measures to address corruption in Nigeria and the armed forces.

The colonel also faulted the removal of the fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy should have been discontinued gradually.

Following his arrest and subsequent interaction with the panel investigating the alleged plot, Ma’aji appealed to the authorities for leniency, saying he had reconsidered his approach.

“From the time I have been arrested till now, If I were to be released and these issues in the country persist, I will consider a different approach,” he said.

“We are pleading for leniency and pardon as first offenders. The system should take a deep breath and pardon us. They should give us a chance to mend our ways. We have no other country than Nigeria and no other job.

“This incident has really opened our eyes and has changed our mindset forever. It was not intended to destabilize the country at all.

“Everything we planned was born out of patriotism, love of country, and the desire to have a prosperous Nigeria that we all can be proud of.”

The alleged coup plot was uncovered in late September 2025, leading to the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade and changes in the military leadership, including the removal of Christopher Musa as chief of army staff.