Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji, accused of being involved in an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has said his actions were driven by patriotism and concern over what he described as Nigeria’s worsening condition rather than personal ambition.
Ma’aji said economic hardship, poor governance and declining welfare among Nigerians and military personnel shaped his concerns about the country’s direction, he said according to Premium Times on Monday.
“What has happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and I love the job and country.
“As we are all sitting down here, we have our biases and our thoughts and concerns on what was going on in our country from a state of gradual decline up to now, and we are almost at the point of collapse,” he said.
The colonel said his own struggles to provide for his five children on his salary further heightened his concerns about the economic situation.
He explained, “Every time I look at how I’m struggling to raise 5 children with my meager salary, I get worried.
“I attended Army Day Secondary School, but today, how many of us afford to take our children to these schools, and for one reason or the other, which is connected to the bad governance.”
Ma’aji also raised concerns about the welfare of soldiers, particularly personnel wounded during military operations.
He alleged that some injured soldiers receiving treatment at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna were not getting adequate care.
According to him, the conditions facing military personnel reinforced his belief that urgent measures were 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 and country that we all can be proud of. It got to a point that I was worried that if nothing is done, we may not have a country to call our own in the near future,” he said.
Ma’aji said the alleged plan involved mobilising officers who shared his concerns but maintained that the group had not reached the stage of executing any operation before his arrest.
“Nigeria was turning into a banana republic right before our eyes. We know that during the era of the military regime, the country was functioning better. I believe that, as it is now, we are on a dangerous trajectory.
“The plan was to get enough officers of like minds who could participate. We were still at the stage of mobilising to get more officers involved.
“This team has not been fully formed because there were supposed to be other meetings. There was no D-Day. We were waiting for the availability of resources and more officers and soldiers,” he added.
The officer also claimed that he personally financed much of the alleged plan, while Timipre Silva contributed about N400 million.
He denied foreign involvement and said no date had been fixed for the proposed operation.
Ma’aji further denied contacting some senior military officers, but said widespread dissatisfaction within the military, coupled with his unsuccessful promotion attempts, contributed to the revival of the alleged movement.
He called for the establishment of a formal channel through which military officers could raise concerns with the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, without fear of victimisation.
Among his recommendations were improved remuneration and welfare packages for soldiers, better pension benefits, greater access to education and stronger measures against corruption within the country and the armed forces.
Ma’aji also criticised the removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy should have been phased out gradually.
Following his arrest, the colonel appealed to the authorities for leniency, saying his experience had caused him to reconsider his approach.
He stated, “From the time I have been arrested till now, If I were to be released and these issues in the country persist, I will consider a different approach.
“We are pleading for leniency and pardon as first 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 has changed our mindset forever. It was not intended to destabilize the country at all.
“Everything we planned was born out of patriotism, love of country, and the desire to have a prosperous Nigeria that we all can be proud of.”
The alleged coup plot, which was uncovered in late September 2025, led to the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade and changes in the military hierarchy, including the removal of Christopher Musa as Chief of Army Staff at the time.
