Army Colonel Breaks Silence on Alleged Plot Against Tinubu

(Mohammed Maaji And President Bola Tinubu. Photo by Vanguard News)

An alleged coup plot in Nigeria has come to light through court records detailing the explanation of Colonel Mohammed Ma'aji, an Army officer accused of involvement in a purported scheme to overthrow President Bola Tinubu's administration.

According to the documentation, Ma'aji has attributed his actions to patriotic concerns rather than personal ambition, citing deteriorating conditions across the country as the driving force behind his alleged involvement.

Ma'aji's account reveals that the plot originated from grievances held by military personnel regarding inadequate governance, security challenges, insufficient military welfare provisions and declining living standards.

He claimed that the situation had become sufficiently dire that he feared national collapse.

The alleged scheme underwent development, suspension and subsequent revival during discussions among military officers and civilians, according to investigators' accounts presented in court records.

Ma'aji maintained that the movement remained in preliminary stages of mobilisation when security authorities intervened, and that no concrete date had been established for any proposed action.

He denied the involvement of foreign collaborators, characterising the effort as genuinely rooted in concern for national wellbeing rather than external influence.

He acknowledged that frustration stemming from two failed attempts to secure promotion to brigadier-general rank had contributed to his willingness to engage with colleagues who encouraged revival of the initiative.

Since his arrest, Ma'aji stated that his perspective had shifted fundamentally.

He indicated that his detention experience had revealed alternative avenues through which military personnel could express institutional concerns, and pledged that future grievance-raising would pursue lawful and transparent channels.

He appealed for governmental leniency, characterising those involved as first offenders motivated by patriotism rather than destabilisation.

Ma'aji raised extensive concerns regarding military personnel conditions, including inadequate remuneration relative to inflation and living costs, insufficient casualty care systems affecting troop morale, poor healthcare coverage, lack of housing programmes, pension inadequacy, and systemic inequities in career progression and operational deployments.

He criticised what he described as nepotism in postings and advancement, noting that some officers had accumulated years of operational service while others had minimal exposure.

He also articulated broader societal concerns, including hardship stemming from fuel subsidy removal implemented without phased transition, corruption among public officials, education accessibility challenges, and budgetary misappropriation.

He recommended government redirect subsidy-related savings toward mass transit infrastructure and social programmes capable of reducing citizen hardship.

The Defence Headquarters declined to comment on the case, stating that doing so while proceedings remain active would constitute judicial interference.