Confession of Colonel Ma’ajil: Why I Targeted President Tinubu in a Violent Coup

By Temitope Adebiyi, Correspondent

Accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, Nigerian Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji stated his actions stemmed from patriotism and deep concern for Nigeria’s decline, not personal ambition..

According to a report by Premium Times, Ma’aji said his concerns were fuelled by economic hardship, poor governance and the declining welfare of both Nigerians and military personnel.

“What happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and my love for the job and the country.

“As we are all sitting here, we have our biases, thoughts and concerns about what has been happening in our country, from a state of gradual decline to where we are now. We are almost at the point of collapse,” Ma’aji was quoted as saying.

The colonel said his personal struggles in providing for his family also strengthened his conviction that the country was headed in the wrong direction.

“Every time I look at how I am struggling to raise my five children on my meagre salary, I get worried.

“I attended Army Day Secondary School, but today, how many of us can afford to send our children to such schools? That situation is directly connected to bad governance,” he stated.

Ma’aji said he was particularly disturbed by the welfare of soldiers, including officers and personnel wounded in combat.

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

According to him, those concerns convinced him that urgent action was needed to change the country’s trajectory.

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

“Nigeria was turning into a banana republic right before our eyes. We know that during the military era, the country functioned better. I believe we are now on a dangerous trajectory,” the Army colonel stated.

Ma’aji said the alleged plan involved mobilising officers who shared similar concerns but insisted the group had not reached the stage of executing the plot before he was arrested.

“The plan was to gather enough like-minded officers who could participate. We were still at the mobilisation stage, trying to get more officers involved.

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

According to the report, Ma’aji claimed he financed much of the alleged plot himself, while he alleged that former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, contributed about ₦400 million. He also denied any foreign involvement and said no date had been fixed for the operation.

The officer also denied contacting some senior military officers but admitted that widespread dissatisfaction among soldiers, coupled with his failed promotion attempts, contributed to reviving the movement.

He called for the establishment of a formal channel through which officers could freely raise concerns with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, without fear of victimisation.

Ma’aji also advocated improved salaries, welfare packages, pension benefits, better educational opportunities for military personnel and stronger measures to tackle corruption within both the armed forces and the country.

He further criticised the removal of the fuel subsidy, arguing that the government should have phased out the policy instead of abolishing it outright.

Appealing for leniency, Ma’aji said his arrest and subsequent interactions with the investigative panel had changed his perspective.

“From the time I was arrested until now, if I were released and these issues in the country still persisted, I would consider a different approach.

“We are pleading for leniency and pardon as first-time 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 changed our mindset forever. It was never intended to destabilise the country.

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

The alleged coup plot, uncovered in late September 2025, led to the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade and triggered a major shake-up within the military hierarchy, including the removal of the then Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.