Exclusive: Musa Reveals Why Military Initially Denied Attempted Coup Against President Tinubu

Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has explained why the military initially denied reports of a foiled coup against President Bola Tinubu.

In September 2025, there were claims of an attempted coup to remove Tinubu, but the military dismissed them at the time.

However, on January 26, the Defence Headquarters officially confirmed the plot, based on intelligence gathered jointly by the Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, Musa said the military needed verified information before making any public statements.

He explained:

“Once you mention a coup, some people disappear because they understand the consequences. The truth is, we wanted to be certain, because this was an act of indiscipline and had to be properly investigated.

“It was during the investigation that these details came to light. We had to follow proper procedures to ensure that what we report is accurate.

“Coup is an extremely serious matter. We did not want to make claims one day and contradict ourselves the next. It was better to initially deny the report until a thorough investigation was completed.”