Colonel Ma'aji says he plotted coup out of patriotism and frustration with Nigeria

Colonel Ma'aji, the officer at the centre of the alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, has finally spoken. He told investigators he acted out of patriotism and frustration with the state of the nation. That is what he said, and it is a statement that will either make you nod or shake your head in disbelief.

Let us be clear about what we are dealing with. This is a senior military officer who felt so alienated by the direction of this country that he allegedly decided to take matters into his own hands. Whether you agree with his methods or not, his words reflect a deep dissatisfaction that many Nigerians feel daily, from the cost of food to the insecurity in our regions. The man is saying he was tired, and he is not the only one.

But here is the uncomfortable question we must ask ourselves. If a trained soldier with access to arms and intelligence believes the only solution is to overthrow a democratically elected government, what does that say about the state of our democracy? We condemn the action, but can we truly claim to be surprised by the frustration that breeds it?