DEFENCE MINISTER: INNOCENT COUP SUSPECTS WILL BE FREED

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has said suspects arrested over the alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu will be released if investigations establish that they have no case to answer.

Musa made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he explained why some of the suspects had not yet been prosecuted.

He said security agencies were taking time to properly investigate the allegations to ensure that innocent individuals were not wrongly implicated.

According to the minister, only suspects identified as the main actors in the alleged plot would face prosecution, while those against whom no sufficient case is established would be freed.

Musa said the Department of State Services and the National Intelligence Agency were still investigating the matter. He added that some suspects had already been taken to court, meaning their cases were now before the judiciary.

The defence minister maintained that the alleged coup plot was genuine, saying those involved intended to carry it out. However, he dismissed suggestions that the alleged plot was politically motivated.

The development comes months after the Nigerian military announced investigations into allegations involving military personnel accused of planning to overthrow the government.

Musa said the government’s priority was to ensure that due process was followed and that only those found to have been involved would be prosecuted.