Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), has said the military officers arrested for plotting a coup against the President Bola Tinubu administration had no reason to engage in such.

Speaking during an Arise TV interview, Musa said he was among those who identified the coup and was on the committee that investigated it.

Musa also dismissed claims that he had anything to do with it, which led to his removal as the Chief of Army Staff by the President.

According to him, days after his removal as COAS, he was appointed Minister of Defence, reflecting the President’s confidence in him.

He said he and others are currently trying to show the indicted officers that a coup is not the way and that democracy is far better than any military rule.

He added, “I looked at the individuals involved in this coup and shook my head. They are a bunch of confused junior officers who didn’t know their left from right.

“The investigation was very thorough, but the facts on the ground are clear. These officers had no reason to do what they did. The country was going very well, the armed forces are being taken care of, and efforts are even being made to increase salaries and allowances. It was just foolhardy for what they were trying to achieve.”

The Guardian reported that proceedings at a Federal High Court have continued to shed light on the ongoing trial involving alleged participants in the attempted coup plot, with a Department of State Services (DSS) witness presenting details of what investigators described as a coordinated plan involving senior military personnel.

Testifying before the court, the witness alleged that one of the accused officers, identified as Col. Mohammed Maaji, played a central role in discussions and operational planning that reportedly included attempts to force access into the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to the testimony, intelligence gathered by security agencies suggested that the group allegedly sought to mobilise personnel and resources in furtherance of actions considered subversive to the Nigerian state.