Coup Plot: I Was Driven by Patriotism, Not Ambition — Col Ma’aji

ABUJA — Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji, one of the Nigerian Army officers accused of being part of an alleged plot to remove President Bola Tinubu from office, has said his involvement was motivated by patriotism and deep frustration with the conditions of the country.

His explanation was contained in newly released court records detailing how investigators said some military officers and civilians allegedly planned, suspended and subsequently revived a scheme to overthrow the Tinubu administration.

The Defence Headquarters declined to comment on the latest development, citing the fact that the matter is currently before the court.

Director of Defence Information, Major-General Samaila Uba, said commenting on the case could amount to sub judice.

Ma’aji, while apologising for his alleged involvement and pleading for forgiveness, said he had no personal ambition to take power.

Rather, he said his actions were influenced by concerns about poor governance, insecurity, inadequate military welfare and the increasing hardship facing Nigerians.

The colonel said the situation had become so severe that he feared Nigeria was heading towards collapse.

He explained: “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.”

Ma’aji said military personnel were among those feeling the impact of the country’s economic difficulties, particularly soldiers wounded in combat and their families.

He disclosed that the alleged movement had not reached the stage of executing any plan when security authorities intervened, saying discussions and mobilisation were still ongoing and no date had been fixed for any action.

He also rejected claims of foreign involvement, explaining that people joined the discussions at different points.

According to him, while some of those approached agreed with concerns about the state of the nation, others later withdrew or failed to fulfil promises of providing resources.

Ma’aji also disclosed that his failure to secure promotion to brigadier-general twice contributed to his frustration.

He said colleagues encouraged him to revive the movement after his second unsuccessful attempt at promotion.

The colonel said the original discussions began under former President Muhammadu Buhari but that his arrest had subsequently changed his thinking.

According to him, his experience in detention helped him understand that grievances within the military could be expressed through other channels without resorting to actions capable of undermining constitutional order.

“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.

He urged the military authorities to create an effective channel for personnel to communicate directly with the Chief of Army Staff, without fear of victimisation.

He also demanded better remuneration, healthcare, housing, pensions and family welfare for military personnel.

Ma’aji said proper treatment of wounded soldiers was particularly important because the way casualties were handled could influence the willingness of other personnel to continue risking their lives in combat.

He further criticised alleged godfatherism in postings and promotions, saying some officers had remained in operational areas for years while others had never served in the North-East.

He said such perceived inequalities could affect morale within the Armed Forces.

Turning to the wider society, Ma’aji identified rising living costs, corruption, poor education and fuel subsidy removal as some of the issues contributing to public frustration.

He urged the Federal Government to use money saved from subsidy reforms to fund projects that would directly reduce hardship.

Among the measures he suggested was the revival of mass transportation schemes to help Nigerians cope with rising transport costs.

He also called for stronger anti-corruption measures, arguing that corruption and perceived impunity could undermine public confidence and affect the morale of security personnel.

Despite the allegations against him, Ma’aji insisted that the alleged movement was not designed to destabilise Nigeria.

He said: “Everything we planned was borne out of patriotism, love of country, and the desire to have a prosperous Nigeria that we all can be proud of.”

He appealed to the authorities to show mercy to those accused, 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: Detention Changed My Perspective

The colonel described his detention as “challenging and revealing”, saying it forced him to reconsider the methods he had adopted in trying to express his concerns.

He argued that the accused officers had dedicated themselves to national security and had no other country to call home.

He therefore urged the authorities to take their service to the nation into account while dealing with the allegations.

To prevent future incidents, Ma’aji proposed several reforms within the military.

On salaries, he said the remuneration of Armed Forces personnel was no longer adequate given inflation and current economic conditions.

On welfare, he stated: “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.”

He called for stronger welfare programmes for personnel and their families and urged the authorities to expand and maintain the COAS Loan Programme.

Ma’aji also said the AF NHIS package should be reviewed to cover serious medical conditions beyond malaria and typhoid.

He proposed a permanent housing programme for military personnel and called for the return of the Obasanjo car loan scheme.

He further suggested creating a dedicated Armed Forces department to oversee personnel welfare.

‘Godfatherism Is a Problem’

On career progression, Ma’aji condemned what he described as godfatherism and unequal access to military opportunities.

He said: “There are officers who have been eight, nine years straight on operations. While we still have some officers who haven’t been to the North-East and will never be there.”

He also raised concerns about pensioners.

According to him, Colonel Adamu once told him that his pension was insufficient to pay for his blood-pressure medication.

Ma’aji said the treatment of retired military personnel must improve because serving officers would eventually become pensioners themselves.

Criticism of Fuel Subsidy Removal

Ma’aji also faulted the manner in which the fuel subsidy was removed.

“The government should have phased the removal and not the sudden removal, and the policy is anti-human,” he said.

He argued that government should invest the resulting savings in projects that directly address the difficulties faced by ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, the average Nigerian wants basic necessities such as affordable transportation, three meals a day, access to healthcare and quality education for their children.

He proposed that the Urban Mass Transit system introduced during the military era be revisited.

Corruption, Education and Budget Padding

Ma’aji described corruption as “the mother of all crimes” and called for a more serious government response.

He questioned how military personnel could afford rising school fees on their salaries while the country’s education system continues to struggle.

He also criticised alleged budget padding and the failure to execute projects even after funds had been allocated.

He questioned how officers could accumulate enough savings to buy homes after years of service.

“Some officers have served for over 15 years, and even a plot of land they don’t have,” he said.

He also expressed concern about the disappearance of the military car loan policy, saying officers and soldiers were struggling despite the sacrifices they make to keep the country safe.

Ma’aji ended his submission by appealing for an opportunity to meet the relevant authorities, apologise and commit to pursuing lawful and peaceful channels for addressing grievances in the future.

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