The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, has disclosed that he was among the intended targets of a foiled coup plot and was meant to be shot by its orchestrators.

Gen. Musa made the revelation on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, days after the military announced that some of the sixteen officers arrested last October would face trial over an alleged attempt to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.

“I was also a target, I am sure you know,” the minister, who is the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), said during the programme monitored by Outlook Nigeria. “I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot,” the Kaduna-born officer added.

In October, the military arrested sixteen officers over what it described as acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations. However, authorities said last week that subsequent investigations had uncovered more serious allegations.

According to the military, “findings have identified a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, which is inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the AFN.”

“Accordingly, those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before an appropriate military judicial panel to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations,” the Director, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, said in a statement.

Several top government officials and other prominent national figures were allegedly pencilled in for assassination as part of the coup plot.

Reports have also linked the attempted coup to the cancellation of the 65th Independence Anniversary parade. In a related development, the residence of a former Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva, was raided over an alleged connection to the plot.

Gen. Musa dismissed those behind the plot as “unserious individuals”, questioning their capacity and judgment.

“I think these guys were a bunch of unserious individuals. If you look at the calibre of persons [involved in the attempted coup], I don’t know what got into their heads to think they can take on the Armed Forces like that,” he said.

The minister further stated that Nigerians themselves would have resisted any attempt to overthrow the democratic order, as they have done in the past.

“What I even said is that even Nigerians would have fought them. Remember, Nigerians have fought against military rule for quite some time. Mr. President has been one of them, so for them to wake up one morning and think they can do that in Nigeria, I think they need to reset their brain,” he said.

Nigeria has a long history of military coups, particularly between 1966 and 1993. However, the country returned to democratic rule in 1999 and has since remained under a civilian government.

The alleged coup attempt came amid a wave of military takeovers and failed plots across West Africa. Late last year, neighbouring Benin Republic also recorded an attempted coup.