Evidence ledger

What is confirmed

  • Mohammed Ma’aji is a Nigerian Army colonel.[1][2]
  • He publicly disclosed that he had planned a coup to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.[1][2]
  • Discussions about a possible military intervention began in 2023 and were driven by insecurity, corruption and economic hardship.[1][2]

What remains disputed or unverified

No disputed central claims are recorded for this story.

Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji told reporters that he and other officers had plotted to remove President Bola Tinubu from power, describing the scheme as a response to the nation’s deteriorating security situation, rampant corruption and worsening economic conditions.[1][2]

Ma’aji said the idea of military intervention first surfaced in 2023, when a small circle of senior officers began exchanging messages about the feasibility of a coup.[2]

Motivation Behind the Plot

According to Ma’aji, the conspirators believed that Tinubu’s government had failed to curb insurgent attacks, allowing banditry and kidnapping to proliferate across the north and central regions.[1][2]

He also cited pervasive corruption in the public sector and a steep rise in living costs as factors that eroded popular support and prompted the officers to consider extra‑constitutional action.[1][2]

Implications for Tinubu’s Administration

The disclosure, still classified as a developing story, could trigger a renewed security sweep within the armed forces as the presidency seeks to root out dissent and reassure the public.[1][2]

Analysts warn that even unverified claims of a coup plot can fuel political instability, potentially affecting foreign investment and heightening ethnic tensions in an already fragile nation.[1]

Version and update history
  1. Version 1 · — Initial source-grounded generation