Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji, who is accused of being involved in an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has said his actions were motivated by patriotism and concerns over the deteriorating state of the country.
Ma’aji, according to a report by Premium Times on Monday, said economic hardship, poor governance and the worsening welfare of Nigerians and military personnel influenced his decision to become involved in the alleged plot.
He said he was increasingly worried that the country was heading towards a crisis and could eventually reach a point where it would be difficult to reverse the situation.
“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,” he said.
The colonel also cited the difficulty of providing for his five children on his salary, saying the situation had deepened his concerns about the economic conditions in the country.
Ma’aji recalled attending Army Day Secondary School and questioned how many military personnel could afford similar educational opportunities for their children under the prevailing economic circumstances.
He also expressed concerns about the welfare of soldiers, particularly those wounded during military operations.
According to him, some injured soldiers receiving treatment at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna were allegedly not receiving adequate care.
He said the situation reinforced his conviction that urgent steps were required to alter the country’s direction.
“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 disclosed that the alleged plan involved mobilising military officers who shared similar concerns but insisted that the group had not reached the stage of executing any operation before his arrest.
He said the proposed group was still being formed and that additional meetings were expected before any action could be contemplated.
“The plan was to get enough officers of like minds who could participate. We were still at the stage of mobilising to get more officers involved,” he said.
The colonel further claimed that he personally financed much of the alleged mobilisation, while former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, contributed about N400m.
He denied any foreign involvement in the alleged plot and said no date had been fixed for the proposed operation.
Ma’aji also denied contacting some senior military officers, but attributed his involvement partly to what he described as widespread dissatisfaction within the armed forces and his unsuccessful attempts at securing promotion.
He called for the creation of a formal platform through which military personnel could communicate their concerns to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, without fear of victimisation.
Among the measures he advocated were improved salaries and welfare packages for soldiers, better pension arrangements, increased access to education and stronger action against corruption in the country and the military.
The colonel also criticised the removal of the fuel subsidy, arguing that the policy should have been implemented gradually to reduce its impact on Nigerians.
Following his arrest, Ma’aji appealed to the authorities for leniency, saying the experience had changed his perspective.
He described those involved as first offenders and urged the authorities to consider granting them pardon.
“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,” he said.
Ma’aji maintained that the alleged plan was not intended to destabilise Nigeria, insisting that his motivation was what he described as love for the country and a desire for better governance.
The alleged coup plot, reportedly uncovered in September 2025, triggered significant developments within the military, including the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade and changes in the military leadership.