I was motivated by patriotism and concern over the country’s deteriorating condition, rather than personal ambition, Mohammed Ma’aji, the Nigerian army colonel accused of leading an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government has said.
According to a Premium Times report, Ma’aji noted that his concerns were shaped by economic hardship, poor governance and what he described as the declining welfare of Nigerians and military personnel.
“What has happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and I love the job and country,” the army officersl told the publication.
“What has happened has a very long history, and it is driven by patriotism and I love the job and country,” he said.
“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.”
The colonel said his personal experience of struggling to provide for his five children had also contributed to his concerns about the country’s direction.
“Every time I look at how I’m struggling to raise 5 children with my meager salary, I get worried,” he said.
“I attended Army Day Secondary School, but today, how many of us can afford to take our children to these schools, and for one reason or the other, which is connected to the bad governance.”
Ma’aji said he was particularly concerned about the welfare of soldiers, including officers and personnel injured during combat.
He alleged that some wounded soldiers at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna were not receiving adequate care, describing their situation as part of the broader problems affecting the armed forces.
Ma’aji said these concerns contributed to his belief that urgent action was required 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 similar concerns about the country, but insisted that the group had not reached the stage of executing the plan when he was arrested.
“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,” he added.
“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.
“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.”
Ma’aji said he funded much of the alleged plot himself, while Timipre Silva contributed about N400 million.
The officer denied foreign involvement and said no date was finalised for the operation.
He also denied contacting some senior officers, but said widespread dissatisfaction among soldiers and his failed promotion attempts contributed to the revival of the movement.
Ma’aji called for a formal channel for officers to raise concerns with Waidi Shaibu, chief of army staff (COAS), without fear of victimisation.
He recommended improved remuneration, welfare packages, pension benefits, education and measures to tackle corruption within the country and the armed forces.
He also criticised the removal of the fuel subsidy, saying the government should have phased out the policy.
Ma’aji appealed to the authorities for leniency, saying he had reconsidered his approach following his arrest and interaction with the panel.
“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,” he said.
“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”, he further stated.