According to Minister of Defence Gen. Christopher Musa, rtd., military officers arrested in connection with the failed coup were aware of the repercussions of their actions and are prepared to face the consequences.
Musa stated this during an appearance on TRT World, a Turkish television, saying that the accused would be given a fair trial with the option of hiring their own legal counsel.
According to him, the government will look after the families of the suspected coup plotters.
“They must have decided to do this after considering their families.
“But even so, the government ensures that their families are treated fairly.
“Their family members are not alone. The government is ensuring that their spouses and children are cared for.
“The perpetrators already know the repercussion of their action, and I’m sure they are ready to face the wrath,” he told reporters.
the 16 suspected officers, including a Brigadier-General and a Colonel, were arrested in October 2025 by the defence headquarters, or DHQ.
On January 26, the DHQ finally revealed that there was a plan to remove President Bola Tinubu.
According to the military, the plot was discovered in late September 2025 through joint intelligence from the army, Department of State Services, DSS, and Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA. It allegedly involved plans to assassinate Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and other top government figures, as well as arrest senior military leaders.