Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, says the military officers who plotted the removal of President Bola Tinubu know the consequences of their action and are ready to face the wrath. In October, there were reports that officers, ranging from the rank of Captain to Brigadier-General, were arrested and detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for attempting to overthrow Tinubu’s government.

Last week, Daily Trust had reported how the panel which probed the arrested officers submitted its findings to the president.

Subsequently, the military authorities which had consistently denied the reports of an attempted coup confirmed the story.

In a statement, the Director, Defence Information, Samaila Uba, a Major-General, said those with cases to answer would be formally arraigned before appropriate military judicial panel to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations.

But in an interview with Daily Trust, a family member to one of those arrested said they had to explore different options, including political solutions to resolve the issue.

“We know the offence is grave considering the military laws and laws of the land, but these people are our loved ones, we can’t afford to lose them now. In fact, they are breadwinners to their respective families. We want to use this medium to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to temper justice with mercy. He is our father; he is a father of the nation. We beg him to show mercy to them. We are not saying they shouldn’t be punished, but we don’t want their death now,” the family member had said.

However, speaking when he appeared on TRT World, a Turkish broadcaster, the Defence Minister said the accused persons would receive a fair trial, with access to legal counsel of their choice.

According to him, families of the alleged coup plotters would be looked after by the government.

“They must have made up their minds when they decided to do this and must have considered their families. But even at that, the government is ensuring that their families are treated fairly.

“Their family members are not left alone. The government is making sure that their wives and children are looked after. The perpetrators already know the repercussion of their action, and I’m sure they are ready to face the wrath,” he said.