A 50-year old Nigerian Army Colonel, Mohammed Ma’aji, has revealed that worsening insecurity, corruption and economic hardship were among the grievances discussed by those allegedly involved in the failed coup he planned to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
The foiled plot, uncovered in late September 2025, unsettled the Tinubu government, which, among other things, cancelled the 1 October Independence Day Parade and reshuffled the military hierarchy, including the sacking of the then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Christopher Musa though media reports linked the cancellation of the parade to the alleged plot, the DHQ explained that it was called off to allow the President to “attend a strategic bilateral meeting outside the country.”
According to source, Ma’aji stated that discussions about military intervention began in 2023, towards the end of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Things particularly got out of control towards the end of Buhari’s administration when corruption and nepotism became the order of the day,” he stated.
The Army Colonel said senior military authorities should have responded more forcefully to the deteriorating security situation, adding that the group subsequently began identifying officers who shared similar concerns.
“Most of the officers involved share the same sense of patriotism, love of the country and genuine desire for positive change,” he wrote.
Claiming that much of the early financing was from his personal resources, Ma’aji said the alleged project was initially shelved because of inadequate funding, logistics and manpower, adding that one Army major contributed N1 million, while another officer allegedly provided dollars on several occasions.
The military officer revealed that the alleged coup plot was revived after he failed for a second time to secure promotion to the rank of Brigadier General in 2024 but he explained that failure to secure the promotion was not the main reason for the alleged movement.
Meanwhile, Ma’aji cited dissatisfaction with fuel subsidy removal, exchange-rate reforms, taxation, electricity tariffs, corruption and insecurity, while also referring to the handling of protests such as #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance, claiming that many young Nigerians are frustrated over unemployment and economic hardship.
