Amid rising concerns over national stability, fresh details have emerged about a suspected coup plot allegedly targeting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Investigations have revealed that a former governor from a southern state is under scrutiny for allegedly funding the plot, scheduled for October 25, sources told Daily Trust.
According to insiders, the ex-governor, said to have past ties to the oil and gas sector, is suspected of collaborating with a group of detained military officers, including a Brigadier-General, a Colonel, and several others.
While the extent of his involvement is still being probed, authorities are reportedly reviewing his recent interactions with the officers and may summon him for questioning if credible links are found.
The 16 officers currently in custody, some of whom were attached to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), are being investigated by a panel under the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
The panel, composed of senior officers led by a Major General, is said to be operating under strict confidentiality.
Sources revealed that the Brigadier-General involved hails from Niger State.
That the Colonel under investigation is from Nasarawa State, and is a member of the influential Al-Makura family, connected to the former governor of the state.
That the arrest has deeply unsettled the Al-Makura family, with one relative saying: “The entire family is in distress… We pray they are found innocent.”
Additional reports indicate that more military officers and politicians from both northern and southern Nigeria are being monitored in relation to the alleged plot.
Reacting to online reports, notably by Sahara Reporters and Premium Times, linking the arrests to a coup attempt, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) denied the allegations outright.
In a statement released Saturday, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, said the reports were misleading and dangerous, emphasizing that:
“The cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary activities was for logistical reasons, not due to any attempted coup.”
He stated that the detained officers were undergoing a routine disciplinary process, and the probe panel’s findings would be made public in due time.
The military reiterated its loyalty to the Constitution and urged the public to ignore “rumours being peddled by enemies of the state.”
On October 4, the military had issued a press release announcing that 16 officers were arrested during a “routine exercise” for indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
The officers reportedly faced career stagnation and had failed multiple promotion exams, according to the statement.
However, sources within military circles suggest that the public statement was deliberately softened, following advice from the Attorney General and other stakeholders, to avoid causing panic among citizens, investors, and the international community.
One insider said the Chief of Army Staff met with President Tinubu in Lagos, reviewed the preliminary report with him, and received presidential approval before releasing the toned-down statement.
Meanwhile, Nigerians on social media are calling for more transparency. Many are asking the military to disclose the identities of the detained officers and specify the exact offences they committed.
One Facebook user, Adelabi Gbenga, wrote:
“Dear military, kindly avail Nigerians specific offences these people committed before you kpai them. There is no smoke without fire.”
Another user on X (formerly Twitter), Edidiong Jackson, added:
“Don’t put us in darkness. After all, na our taxes they are using to pay you guys.”
