ABUJA — A Nigerian Army Colonel, Mohammed Ma’aji, accused of involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu, has said his actions were driven by patriotism and frustration over what he described as worsening conditions in the country.
Ma’aji, in a statement made available on Monday, apologised for his involvement in the alleged plot and appealed to the authorities for leniency, insisting that his motive was not personal ambition but a desire for a better Nigeria.
He said the alleged plan emerged from concerns among some military personnel over poor governance, insecurity, inadequate welfare and declining living standards.
According to him, the situation had become so troubling that he feared the country was heading towards collapse.
Ma’aji said: “What has happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and I love the job and country.
“Every time I look at how I’m struggling to raise five children with my meagre salary, I get worried. Looking at every aspect of life in Nigeria, there is no hope for the common man, and we are left to defend ourselves.
“This has nothing to do with any ambition or personal goals. It is purely out of the desire for a prosperous country that works for everyone.”
He alleged that military personnel were particularly affected by inadequate welfare, citing the condition of soldiers wounded in combat and the challenges facing serving personnel and their families.
The colonel said the alleged movement was still at a stage of mobilisation and discussions when security authorities intervened, adding that no specific date had been agreed for any action.
He also denied that there were foreign collaborators, while explaining that various individuals became involved at different stages of the discussions.
Ma’aji said some of those approached expressed concerns about the state of the country, while others withdrew or failed to provide the resources they had initially promised.
He further said the alleged plot was fuelled by what he described as frustrations over his failure to secure promotion to the rank of brigadier-general on two occasions.
According to him, some of his colleagues had encouraged him to revive the movement after the second setback.
The colonel, however, said his experience following his arrest had changed his perspective and made him realise that there were alternative ways of expressing concerns within the military.
“If God willing, the authority is kind enough to pardon us, we will never contemplate this course of action again in the future,” he said.
Ma’aji called for the establishment of a formal channel through which military personnel could communicate their concerns directly to the Chief of Army Staff without fear of victimisation.
He also recommended improved remuneration and welfare packages for members of the Armed Forces, including better healthcare, housing, pension and family support.
He called for an improvement in the military’s casualty management system, saying the treatment of wounded soldiers could affect the morale of personnel still serving in operational areas.
He also criticised what he described as godfatherism and perceived inequality in military postings and career progression, arguing that some officers had spent years on operations while others had little or no operational exposure.
On the wider Nigerian society, Ma’aji expressed concern over the cost of living, education, corruption and the impact of fuel subsidy removal on ordinary citizens.
He urged the government to invest resources saved from subsidy reforms in programmes capable of reducing hardship, including mass transportation and other social infrastructure.
He also called for stronger action against corruption, saying perceived impunity among public officials could affect the morale and confidence of security personnel.
On the alleged coup plot itself, Ma’aji said the movement was never intended to destabilise the country, insisting that it was motivated by what he described as love for Nigeria.
He said: “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 colonel appealed to the authorities to consider the circumstances that led to the alleged plot and pardon those involved, describing them as first offenders.
“We are pleading for a pardon and a chance to amend our ways. Many of the officers have participated in some operations in the North-East. I am happy nobody has been hurt,” he said.
Ma’aji said his detention had been “challenging and revealing”, adding that it had given him an opportunity to reconsider his approach to expressing grievances.
He maintained that he and others involved had no other country to call their own and urged the authorities to consider their contributions to national security alongside the allegations against them.
He concluded by asking for an opportunity to meet with the relevant authorities, apologise and commit themselves to pursuing lawful and peaceful means of addressing grievances.
Read his full statement as obtained by Premium Times
COLONEL MA’AJI’S VERBATIM STATEMENT IN FULL
First and foremost, I want to clearly apologise for what has happened. You will call that we are all human and are bound to make mistakes.
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. I’m sure even one of you must have had the cause to reflect on the situation of the nation.
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. Looking at every aspect of life in Nigeria, there is no hope for the common man, and we are left to defend ourselves. This has nothing to do with any ambition or personal goals. It is purely out of the desire for a prosperous country that works for everyone.
Most of these leaders have different nationalities and are citizens of other countries, and don’t have anything to lose, unlike us, that Nigeria is our only country. Take a drive to Kaduna, go to 44 Nigeria Army Reference Hospital and see the plight of our soldiers, sir. What you will see will shock you. Soldiers and officers who sustained injury in combat have been abandoned to their fate.
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. 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.
I know that this general conspiracy of silence and sentiment is holding all of us, but we can move above it. We were waiting to.grow in rank from Lt to Gen, yet we could not see the change we wanted. We needed to tell the civilians when they are wrong and register that we have done our best. I did not mean bad for anybody, either a superior, subordinate, or peers alike. It was a genuine act to contribute my own quota and stop going to bed grumbling without action. It baffles me that a country like Nigeria, blessed with enough mineral and human resources, could be ridiculously regarded as the poverty capital of the world.
This started years ago till we got to this point of no return, where we are now. Anybody who genuinely loves this country and interacts with officers and soldiers will agree that most of us share this concern.
When I see a person who has a genuine concern about the precarious situation of our country, I throw up the discussion. I am mostly drawn to officers who genuinely reason in the same line that was how the movement started. The plan was to get enough officers of like minds who could participate. We were still at the stage of mobilizing to get more officers involved. Since at my level I am not a BDE commander or a GOC so we needed officers who could bring in resources.
There are officers that I did not talk to directly, but if any officer I am close to recommends them, I give them the go-ahead to talk with the officers. Sqn Ldr Zuzu was introduced through DB Abdullahi and Sqn Ldr SB Adamu, whom I got to know about him and he attended one of our meetings at Brookville, and he said he was going to get back on the roles he could play to assist the movement.
In this movement, a substantial amount spent are my personal resources. Timiprey Silva only came in recently. His own contribution was coming in bulk; mine, don’t have the records of how much I had spent. I think Timprey Silver has contributed about 400 million naira, and there are no foreign collaborations.
The only senior officer that I can say was aware was Brig Gen Sadiq, but he withdrew mainly based on the issue of resources and the need to get more senior officers involved, and since that time, whenever we discuss, it’s just about the challenge and how to involve more senior officers. However, after that, we did not go beyond that.
I never spoke to Gen Jalo or Gen Danja about the plan. I have also never spoken to Navy Capt Victor, rtd, about the movement. Another person, however, who was deeply involved was Col MM Adamu rtd. He also said that some senior officers close to him were also concerned about the country, which he intended to engage them at his own level.
I got to recruit Zekeri Umor through Insp Ahmed Ibrahim, who works in the villa too. Ahmed, on the other hand, I got close to him when we visited my wife’s restaurant, and also through Cpl Audu, who was close to me and had served in the villa before, we did not start based on the plot. The restaurant is called Kakaki restaurant on Mahatma Gandhi Street. The restaurant was closed when the owner sold the property.
Mostly when officers come for a meeting, you give them transport because they really don’t have. The situation is so bad that some officers cannot even afford to buy cars or even transport themselves from point A to B.
At first, Zekeri requested N1 billion to assist in getting access to the Villa, and I told him that we are stirred by patriotism, not money, and whatever was available, I would share with him.
The recruitment of CJTF was Iliyasu’s idea. When I went to the North East for a wedding, Maj Iliyasu met me and asked how far about the movement was and complained that there was no manpower. He then said he had CJTF working for 7 Div, then that we could use them. I asked him how; he said they were good, and that he could mobilize them. I asked him about weapons and he told me they already had their personal rifles. Then I asked how he was going to move them to Abuja, and these movement plans were not finalized.
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. I know that Hayatu and Dangnap are supposed to generate troops, but no date has been specifically given to them.
But they both said they had enough ammo, weapons, vehicles, and troops.
The essence of asking them to send pictures and the given task was to place the service chiefs under arrest in the house, and not to cause interference with the movement. The coup was supposed to be carried out at night.
Bappah has his own plans for 102 Bn because he said he stays in the unit, and he said they have some equipment that could be used.
The key persons to be arrested are as written in the paper seen at my house Col Adamu (rt) is a key player, actually, and he was supposed to also source for funds, but he has not been able to cope with his promise to make contact with some senior officers.
WO Nasir has attended the meeting twice; his boys were more or less like a standby force. I have known WO Nasiru for a very long time, from NDA when I was a cadet.
If you interact with officers and soldiers, 80 percent are disgruntled already. And it was a voluntary thing nobody was coerced. In these recent efforts, I had given up the motive, but some of these officers kept texting and calling for my intervention. There were none who after I spoke to them, drew back after sharing the plan with them. The desire for the change is genuine, and that has been what has kept the plan alive for a long time.
I and Col M Adamu had always been friends even while he was in the service. I did not talk to Lt Col AI Almakura of Artillery about this plan.
You see the genuine efforts that the Nigerian youths have tried to get back their country, you saw the End SARS protest, you saw the recent Get Back Our Country protests, End Bad Government protest too.
If the avenue for dialogue or protest or all non-violent avenues were available, they would have been utilized to prevent the country from deteriorating further as a result of the endemic corruption. All these protests were avenues for the peaceful resolution of national issues but all were rushed and opportunity lost. This is not about us alone, but the country in general.
When I was denied my first attempt for Brig Gen. Nobody up till today called me to tell me why, so also the second attempt. If our leaders are caring, that should not have been the case. In fact, after I lost my second attempt, many of the boys called me and said oga, we told you there is no other option than to go ahead with our plans and that was how the movement was revived again.
I have met Maj D Yusuf, and I don’t know his level of involvement. I also do not know Capt Benuga. Maj A Mohammed is also not involved. Brig Gen Sadiq was aware when he was a Garrison Commander in Lagos. Lt Col B Almustapha is also not a part. Maj A ldris has not been regular in meetings, but he is aware of the plans. Lt Col AImakura was in the know of the plans, and I discussed it with him around 2023; however, since he assumed command in Abuja, I have not contacted him.
Maj Usman was to get resources from 45 Bn, Lt Col Dangnap was to bring sources from 134 Bn, Maj AJ Ibrahim was to get resources from 198. Aminu John was not part of the plan. Whenever I am looking for cash, I just reach out to him to get the cash or mint. FM Ali is also not involved.
To prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents like this I would advise the authority as follows
Poor Remuneration: The salary of Nigerian Armed Forces personnel is too low, considering the current economic realities and inflation.
Welfare: For instance, we are an army at war; our handling of casualties is paramount to how the rest working will be willing to continue and lay their lives for the country. There is also a need for robust welfare packages for all the members of the Armed Forces. There is also a need for serving personnel’s family welfare packages to be introduced. The COAS Loan Program should be expanded and sustained.
The AF NHIS package needs to be reviewed to include more critical health challenges rather than just malaria and typhoid. There is a need for a sustainable housing program for the Armed Forces rather than isolated and disjointed packages. The issue of the Obasanjo car loan scheme needs to come back. I think the AFN needs a whole department dedicated to personnel welfare. I could elaborate on this if given the opportunity.
Godfatherism: A system where you can hardly get anything without someone calling in on your behalf. There are officers who have been 8, 9 years straight on operations. While we still have some officers who haven’t been to the North East and will never be there.
Pension Upgrade: Col Adamu told me that his pension cannot buy his BP drugs. I feel sad when I saw CDS ordering ex-servicemen to be dispersed from their protest ground for improved pensions. We should remember that we shall all retire. Our ex-servicemen deserve better treatment. Charity begins at home; that is why I am starting from the armed forces.
Removal of fuel subsidy: The government should have phased the removal and not the sudden removal, and the policy is anti-human. The primary purpose of government, as provided by the Constitution, is the welfare and security of the people… we have rather created more stealing avenues because governors now have more funds to steal. An average Nigerian is not asking for too much, just a bare minimum of being able to move from point A to B and also afford 3 square meals, good health, and the education of their children. The federal Government should invest the subsidy money in a practical project that can reduce human suffering. The issue of Urban Mass Transit that started during the military regime should be revisited.
Corruption: This must be given clear and serious attention because it is the mother of all crimes. The examples of Yaya Bello, Emiefele, the former accountant general, all these people are yet to face justice, and then these soldiers are watching these, and you do not expect vulnerability or reaction?
Education: Our education is in shambles. Those of us here in Abuja, how much do we pay for school fees, and how many officers/soldiers can afford school fees with their salaries?
Budget padding: After padding a budget and awarding costs, they’re still not implemented. For example, you put 1 thousand naira for a water of 100 naira and still do not buy the water.
These are people who got almost everything free, including education when growing up, but there is no free education anywhere today in Nigeria. They all turned their backs against the country. As a service personnel, how much of salary can you save that would buy you a house to live in ? Is it after using all your youthful years that you will start looking for money to survive after retirement?
Some officers have served for over 15 years, and even a plot of land they don’t have. The policy of car loans was swept under the carpet. What happened to all these policies? An average officer or soldier is barely surviving. Despite the huge sacrifices they are making on a daily basis to keep the country safe and secured.
There is no well-spelt out channel of communication to the COAS if an officer wishes to have any interaction with him. There is a need to institutionalize a channel of communication for officers to air their concerns without being witch-haunted.
Timiprey Silva is someone that I have known since as a Capt but I never discussed this issue with him until just recently and it was still pushed from all these boys. When I did, he said Col please I don’t want to hear about this but later he then called and asked to know more of the details and asked about the chances of success. He said he’s a politician, but he does not think current politicians have the audacity to return the country to track. He said he sent all his children abroad because of the unfavourable conditions of Nigeria as a country.
There were considerations of 27 September, 1 Oct, and a month after as the possible D-Day, but it was not concluded as no specific day was agreed. Sqn Ldr Zuzu introduced by Lt Cdre Abdullahi, that he had conversed with the officer and that the officer is seriously disgruntled, and I gave him the go-ahead to invite him for a meeting. I sent him money as welfare and not to buy me golf kits as I don’t play golf. I asked about the whereabouts of his family in order to be sure they were out of Abuja.
WO Nasiru said he has some contacts of influencers, but I don’t know them.
Col Adamu was supposed to procure radios from a link he had in Kaduna, but has not been given the money to procure them yet.
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. The past 2 or 3 weeks I have been arrested has been quite challenging and revealing, and it has served as an eye opener for me. I have come to realise that there could be alternative ways of conveying some of these concerns, especially after my interaction with this panel. If God willing, the authority is kind enough to pardon us…,we will never contemplate this course of action again in the future. recommendation for an open channel of communication to the COAS would provide ample opportunity and avenue for officers to register their concerns.
If there was any discussion of IED, it was Maj Iliyasu who said he had some Boko Haram technicians working in the theater to make IED, but I told him that it was not necessary.
My loss of promotion for the second time also contributed to the revival of …the movement to commence again. This is because the boys were … that the injustice would never stop, and as such they are for a revival of the struggle.
There is no evidence that the loss of my first promotion could be attributed to the allegation of my involvement in attempting to disrupt the 2023 election and take the government. All I know is that I was still at AHQ Gar when I was invited for an interview at DIA. I met AVM Owai, who quizzed me on what was going through my mind and I told him nothing. He then said there were allegations that politicians were trying to use me for election. I said that was not the case. And truly, as at that time the movement had died down. Then he requested my phone…. I was detained and advised, and released with a verbal apology.
My application for Schengen VSIA has been long and has nothing to do with the movement. Only one of my daughters got admission to study medicine at Cairo University, Egypt.
I have a passionate appeal to the authorities. It is often said that two wrongs do not make a right. Therefore, on behalf of everyone involved, I want to beg authority to look at the cause and the fundamental issues that drove us into this and address them. 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. They should also look at some of our sacrifices and not judge us by one mistake. We are pleading for a pardon and a chance to amend our ways. Many of the officers have participated in some operations in the North East. I am happy nobody has been hurt. No action has been taken, and no bullet has been released. Please accept our prayers for leniency and pardon us.
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.
We shall also be glad if we should be given the opportunity to interact with ASA face to face and plead forgiveness, and sign an agreement to the effect that we shall never return to the past again in the future. Thank you very much sir.
The post Coup allegation: I acted out of patriotism, frustration with Nigeria — Army Colonel Ma’aji appeared first on Vanguard News.