A retired Army General, Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, has been arrested alongside military officers and civilians accused of allegedly planning a forceful overthrow of President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Gana, who hails from Niger State and is the Danmagayaki of Nupe, was detained a week after his son, Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Ibrahim-Gana, was arrested by military intelligence operatives.

Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim-Gana, formerly the Commanding Officer of 115 Battalion, Askira, Borno State, is among 35 military officers currently in custody over the alleged coup plot.

“A retired Army General, Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, was also arrested. He is said to be the one who helped the alleged mastermind of the coup, Colonel Alhassan Ma’aji, gain admission into NDA in August 1995.”

“Being Ma’aji’s godfather, they believed he was aware of the plan, although no further links were traced to him,” a military source said.

The source added, “His son, a Lieutenant Colonel, was also arrested, but nothing was traced to him as he was actively fighting Boko Haram in Borno. Many civilians, including mechanics and even a Julius Berger staff, have been detained for allegedly supporting the plot, despite having no knowledge of it.”

Earlier reports also indicated the arrest of Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, a policeman from Taraba State, who is now in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

Among the 35 detained officers are: an Army Brigadier General, 2 Colonels, 5 Lieutenant Colonels, 1 Wing Commander (Air Force equivalent of Lieutenant Colonel), 8 Majors, 1 Lieutenant Commander (Navy equivalent of Major), 2 Squadron Leaders (Air Force equivalent of Major), 5 Captains, and a Lieutenant.

Ten non-commissioned officers (NCOs), including a Warrant Officer, 5 Sergeants, 1 Corporal, and 2 Lance Corporals, are also being held.

The detainees come from across the country, including Osun, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau, Kano, Gombe, Bauchi, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Taraba, Yobe, Kogi, Sokoto, and Adamawa States.

SaharaReporters had previously reported in October 2025 that the DIA arrested several military officers in Abuja over an alleged coup plot against President Tinubu.

Despite initial denials from the Defence Headquarters, Monday’s update formally acknowledged that some of the detained officers were investigated for allegedly planning to overthrow the government.

Families of the detained officers have raised concerns about prolonged incommunicado detention, denial of access to lawyers and relatives, and poor detention conditions.

Some officers reportedly fell ill, with two collapsing due to worsening conditions while in custody.

The case has drawn political attention following reports that military operatives raided the Abuja residence of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, in connection with the investigation.

Sylva denied any involvement and described attempts to link him to the plot as politically motivated.

A human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on residents of the South-East to disregard what he described as a “fraudulent” sit-at-home order allegedly scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026, by a faction claiming affiliation with the group.

The directive, earlier announced by IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful, sought to enforce a total regional lockdown in solidarity with traders at the Onitsha Main Market.

Powerful had described the shutdown as a “direct, peaceful, and unified response” to actions by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who had ordered the market closed for one week.

In a counter statement released on Saturday, Ejiofor said the source behind the directive, operating under the guise of “Emma Powerful,” had been compromised and was acting contrary to the collective interest of Ndi-Igbo.

He emphasized that IPOB has formally and decisively disowned the false order, urging residents to go about their lawful activities without fear.

The statement read in part:
“Once again, the well-worn theatre of misinformation has opened its curtains, this time with a particularly lazy script and an insultingly predictable cast. Late yesterday, a report was widely circulated alleging that a total lockdown of Ala-Igbo had been ordered under the guise of a sit-at-home directive purportedly issued by ‘Emma Powerful,’ slated for Monday, February 2, 2026.

“Let it be stated clearly, unequivocally, and without ambiguity: this directive is fake, a phantom, a calculated falsehood. Upon careful inquiry and diligent verification, especially considering the delicate and hard-won calm presently returning to our homeland, it became glaringly obvious that the so-called ‘Emma Powerful’ platform has been fatally compromised.” Ejiofor added:

“It has been hijacked by vested interests whose business model thrives on fear, disruption, extortion, and the cynical exploitation of vulnerable communities. The peaceful global movement of the IPOB has formally and decisively disowned this fabricated publication, categorically distancing itself from the false sit-at-home order and directing Ndi-Igbo to go about their lawful and normal activities without fear.

“Going forward, the message from IPOB is unmistakable: any publication attributed to ‘Emma Powerful’ should be treated with extreme suspicion, if not outright contempt. Frankly, one cannot but express astonishment, bordering on disbelief, that at such a critical juncture, when relative peace is cautiously resurfacing in Ala-Igbo, anyone would recklessly circulate information capable of reopening wounds and inviting criminal infiltration. History has taught us, at unbearable cost, what happens when fake directives fall into the hands of violent opportunists masquerading as enforcers.” Ejiofor concluded:

“It is therefore no longer sufficient to merely advise our people to ‘ignore’ publications from this source. The time has come for greater clarity and firmness. The platform known as ‘Emma Powerful,’ in its current corrupted state, has positioned itself as an adversary to Ala-Igbo’s peace, progress, and collective well-being. A masquerade that dances with fire should not be mistaken for a messenger of truth.”

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market, describing the move as a “hard, but necessary” step to secure the future of the commercial hub.

The directive follows the market’s one-week closure.

During his last visit to the market, Soludo lamented that the once-famed “biggest market in West Africa” had deteriorated significantly, calling it “literally dead.”

Addressing traders and stakeholders at the Light House, Awka, on Friday, the governor explained that the decline was exacerbated by decades of poor urban planning and the persistent observance of the Monday sit-at-home order.

Soludo said, “The Onitsha Main Market, in its current state, is no longer functional. We have done the study. The main market is no longer what it was designed to be. It has literally died.

“I recall a time in the late 70s when the market was a model of efficiency, with wide streets allowing trucks and shoppers to move freely. Today, that layout has been replaced by chaos. If people cannot park, they cannot shop. In the late 70s, trucks used to drive into the market; massive parking spaces were provided for them. Today, that is gone.”

He noted that the market had been effectively shut for more than 260 days since the Monday sit-at-home ritual began, resulting in billions of naira lost weekly and driving customers to alternative markets in neighbouring states.

“Leadership requires taking inconvenient steps to secure the future. The closure of the market is a corrective measure to reclaim the state’s economic life. The state commissioned world-renowned experts in 2023 to draft a rebuilding plan for the market’s resurrection; a vision for the 25-hectare site.”

“This is in recognition that the future of global commerce lies in efficient logistics rather than just tiny stalls,” Soludo added.

He further said, “Therefore, the remodelling efforts align with my manifesto to create planned and sustainable markets and communities and cities. At this point, leadership beckons on us to take those inconvenient steps to secure the future.”

Following the executive directive, the Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market, Chijioke Okpalaugo, confirmed the traders’ support for the government’s vision, while requesting a short period to secure their inventory.

Okpalaugo said, “After careful consideration of the proposals presented by the state government for the revitalisation of our market, we, the leadership and traders of Onitsha Main Market, officially announce that we have chosen ‘Option 2’ as the preferred path forward.

“We recognise that leadership requires difficult choices, and we accept this path for the ultimate good of ndị Anambra and the survival of our iconic market. We are committed to the vision of a planned, sustainable, and accessible market that can once again compete on a global stage.

“However, we humbly appeal to Governor Soludo to grant us a short grace period. This will allow our members to safely evacuate their goods and wares from the areas designated as illegal structures before the commencement of enforcement and demolition.”

DAILY GAZETTE earlier reported that the closure followed the traders’ refusal to comply with the state government’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order.

Soludo had warned that the shutdown could be extended if compliance was not achieved, and security agencies had sealed the market to enforce the order.

The governor described the redevelopment as a decisive step in an ongoing effort to reclaim economic life in the South-East, noting that despite assurances of enhanced security and appeals to reopen stalls, many traders had continued to keep their businesses closed.

The Nigerian film industry was jolted during the week following reports that Nollywood actor, filmmaker and former Enugu State chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Stanley Amandi, was arrested over his alleged involvement in a failed coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

DAILY GAZETTE gathered that Amandi was arrested in Enugu alongside several serving military officers suspected to be linked to the plot.

Family members and associates initially believed he was in the custody of the Department of State Services, but were later informed otherwise.

Sources said the DSS subsequently “officially wrote” to the actor’s family, clarifying that he was being held by the Defence Intelligence Agency.

It was also learnt that the family had “reached out” to the DIA, requesting access for his wife, legal counsel and a medical doctor, citing concerns over his health condition, as the actor is said to be hypertensive.

According to findings reported by Premium Times, Amandi was allegedly involved in the media and messaging component of the failed plot.

Investigators reportedly suspect that he was to function as a propagandist, helping to shape public narratives capable of justifying or promoting an unconstitutional takeover, thereby positioning him as a civilian collaborator in what authorities describe as a grave national security breach.

Details of the alleged coup attempt first surfaced months ago after discreet arrests were made within the military.

However, further insight into how the plot was uncovered later emerged through an investigative report by Premium Times.

The report indicated that the scheme began to unravel after a concerned military officer alerted senior leadership about suspicious meetings and discussions pointing to plans to overthrow the government.

Intelligence gathered around the same time by the State Security Service reportedly confirmed that some officers were exploring ways to destabilise Nigeria’s democratic system.

Investigators allegedly uncovered a wider network of collaborators and a plan that extended beyond the seizure of power.

The report claimed that discussions also included the assassination of senior political figures, among them President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

Security agencies were said to have carried out coordinated arrests across multiple locations to halt the plot before it advanced.

What initially appeared to be routine internal military disciplinary matters later escalated into a comprehensive national security investigation.

The Indigenous People of Biafra has declared a total sit-at-home across the South-East on Monday, calling for a shutdown of economic and social activities in protest against the closure of the Onitsha Main Market by the Anambra State Government.

The pro-Biafran group said the lockdown would cover Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu and Ebonyi states, urging traders, transporters, banks, schools, civil servants and residents to observe the action peacefully.

The declaration came as Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, ordered the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market following a one-week closure of the commercial hub.

Soludo had ordered the market’s closure during an on-site visit, citing the persistent observance of Monday sit-at-home orders and the collapse of infrastructure at what was once described as the biggest market in West Africa.

Addressing traders and stakeholders at the Light House in Awka on Friday, the governor said, “The Onitsha Main Market, in its current state, is no longer functional. We have done the study. The main market is no longer what it was designed to be. It has literally died.

“I recall a time in the late 70s when the market was a model of efficiency, with wide streets allowing trucks and shoppers to move freely. Today, that layout has been replaced by chaos. If people cannot park, they cannot shop. In the late 70s, trucks used to drive into the market; massive parking spaces were provided. Today, that is gone.”

Soludo attributed the market’s decline to decades of poor urban planning and the recurring Monday sit-at-home, noting that the market had been effectively shut for more than 260 days, with billions of naira lost weekly and customers diverted to neighbouring states.

“Leadership requires taking inconvenient steps to secure the future. The closure of the market is a corrective measure to reclaim the state’s economic life,” he said.

“The state commissioned world-renowned experts in 2023 to draft a rebuilding plan for the market’s resurrection — a vision for the 25-hectare site. This is in recognition that the future of global commerce lies in efficient logistics rather than just tiny stalls.

“Therefore, the remodelling efforts align with my manifesto to create planned and sustainable markets, communities, and cities. At this point, leadership beckons on us to take those inconvenient steps to secure the future.”

Following the directive, the Chairman of Onitsha Main Market, Chief Chijioke Okpalaugo, said traders had accepted the government’s redevelopment plan while seeking time to secure their goods.

Okpalaugo said, “After careful consideration of the proposals presented by the state government for the revitalisation of our market, we, the leadership and traders of Onitsha Main Market, officially announce that we have chosen ‘Option 2’ as the preferred path forward.

“We recognise that leadership requires difficult choices, and we accept this path for the ultimate good of Ndị Anambra and the survival of our iconic market. We are committed to the vision of a planned, sustainable, and accessible market that can once again compete on a global stage.”

However, IPOB, in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the decision to shut the market and threaten further sanctions against traders would not be tolerated.

The statement read in part: “The Indigenous People of Biafra, under the resolute and prophetic leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, hereby declares a Biafra-wide solidarity strike — a complete lockdown of all economic activities across Igboland and wider Biafran territories — on Monday, February 2, 2026.

“This total shutdown across Biafraland is a direct, peaceful, and unified response to the tyrannical actions of Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, who has shut down the Onitsha Main Market for one week and threatened further month-long closures, revocation of land ownership, demolition, and punitive repurposing if traders continue their legitimate observance of Monday sit-at-home in solidarity with our unjustly imprisoned leader.

“This strike is not enforcement; it is a voluntary, collective expression of outrage and solidarity with the hardworking traders of Onitsha, whose livelihoods are now under direct assault by a governor who has chosen to act as an enforcer for anti-Biafran interests rather than a servant of his people.”

The group further said, “Soludo’s closure of Africa’s largest market, coupled with his reckless threats to revoke allocations and rebuild in ‘public interest,’ is economic warfare against Biafrans. It is designed to break the spirit of peaceful civil disobedience that has highlighted the injustice of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention despite sham proceedings.”

IPOB stated that the Monday sit-at-home originated as a peaceful protest demanding the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, adding, “Soludo’s escalation only exposes his desperation to provoke confrontation at a time when Biafra’s international profile is rising and diplomatic efforts are gaining traction.”

Calling on residents of the region, the group said, “On Monday, February 2, 2026, we call on all Biafrans — traders, transporters, banks, schools, civil servants, and every sector across Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and beyond — to observe this solidarity strike peacefully.

“Remain indoors, refrain from all commercial and public activities, and demonstrate to the world our disciplined resolve. This is not about disruption for its own sake; it is about standing with Onitsha traders who are being punished for demanding justice and reaffirming that no governor can coerce free citizens into abandoning their rights or their solidarity.

“Soludo’s war on Onitsha traders is a war on all Biafrans. This strike will send a clear message: Touch one, touch all. Our leader’s prophecy endures — Biafra’s liberation is near, and no amount of intimidation will stop it.”

In this episode, yours sincerely will venture into an objective and holistic review of the performance of the executive governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah in various critical sectors of the economy.

Recently, the opposition has tried to mislead the public by trying to cook up nonexistent poor implementation of the widely decorated and celebrated programs of Gov. Mbah, which were rolled out during the campaign for the election that brought him to power in 2023.

But a dutiful follower of the administration will notice that the people’s governor has been investing an unquantifiable amount of passion, energy, intellect, and resources into excellent implementation of all the projects, programs, etc., he marshaled out for our people ab initio.

We shall, in this series, touch on all major aspects of the set out projects and cross-match the same with what is already on the ground in Enugu under the government of Mbah, to enable our people see that if there is anything anyone can accuse the government of Mbah of, dereliction of duty is not one of them.

In fairness, it can be said that what drives many critics into wrong assumptions can be attributed to their inability to understand the importance and relevance of all the programs and projects of the governor already littered everywhere in Enugu State.

This is more so since the governor has a penchant for taking everything up to the international standard and global best practices, while the bulk of the armchair critics appear quite unprepared and unavailable for such a level of development yet.

And we must therefore commend the governor for always striving to bring the future closer.

We shall examine in this piece such sectors as Agriculture, Energy, and Mineral Resources.

The present administration has embarked on several capital projects and reforms in the energy and mineral resources sector with a special focus on the utilization of the state’s natural endowment to ignite economic growth and industrialization.

Coal-to-Power Project (1,000 MW Target): In September 2025, the governor announced plans to generate 1000 MW of power from the state’s abundant coal resources which have remained untapped for decades now.

Recall that coal was to Nigeria what oil is to the country today. Coal was abandoned following the discovery of oil and other factors. But the importance and usage of coal have not been extinguished in the rest of the world.

This underscores the fact that any leader in Nigeria today who can reinvent the utilization of coal has succeeded in doing a noble job in the much-touted diversification of the economy to pave the way for the development of the non-crude oil sector of the Nigerian economy.

It is in view of this that Peter Mbah, from the outset, specifically promised to ensure that mining of coal resumes in Enugu and vowed to procure the approval for the mining right for Enugu State, from the federal government of Nigeria.

Speaking at an event, “ _Meet the Governor Series”,_ organized by the Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce, NBCC, in Lagos some months ago, Governor Mbah stated that “ _We cannot treat our coal as a stranded asset, particularly the Enugu coal, which is a premium coal.

“Our target is to see how we can use our coal to generate at least 1000 megawatts of power. We do have technology today that makes coal utilization less adverse to the environment. Essentially, that is the direction for us.”_

Allaying the fear of high Sulphur content, which has been a major drawback to the utilization of coal, the governor clarified that “ _for a lot of coals, if you have 1.0 per cent of sulphur, you are still okay. But we have only 0.5 per cent of sulphur.”

“Our coal is also very good for fire power plants due to its high calorific value. So, we are on that and we are not going to warehouse our coal resources.”

Having strongly set the ball rolling, this campaign promise has received the required attention and will transform Enugu’s economy beyond forecast when fully realized.

In the agricultural sector, the governor stated from the beginning that the objective of our programmes in the agriculture sector shall be to “Feed Enugu State and turn the State into a food-basket for Nigeria and hub for export of cash crops”.

The target is to eliminate food insecurity in the state by 2031 through massive investments in technologies for agricultural productivity in the State, technology-enabled agricultural extension services, implementation of Specialized Agro-allied Industrial zones in all Senatorial Zones of the state, and accelerated technologies for agricultural systems transformation in Enugu State.

Looking around Enugu state, one will discover that the governor has already invested the sum of 2billion naira into the establishment of the Farm Estate initiative across the 260 wards in Enugu state.

This even brought the project closer to people than initially planned.

This project, which has gone far in almost all the communities in Enugu state, will achieve the purpose of food sufficiency in Enugu state as targeted.

Apart from this, the farmers and headsmen crisis stands permanently resolved, and huge employment opportunities will be generated upon completion.

Under Governor Mbah too, Enugu has launched its own rice brand, showcasing measurable progress in rice production. Yet the livestock section of agriculture is not left out in the scheme of things.

Governor Mbah through the state ministry of agriculture has trained over 450 livestock farmers under Livestock Productivity And Resilience Support (L-PRES) which according to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Patrick Uburu aims to transition them into large-scale production, enhancing Enugu’s comparative advantage in livestock farming

In conclusion, we have shown in this write-up that Gov. Mbah has so far exceedingly done well above original targets in the Agricultural sector.

The Energy and Mineral resources sectors have all equally received adequate attention from the government, unlike the narrative by some naysayers who continued to spread unfounded stories of non-implementation of campaign promises purely based on their own ignorance.

Watch out as we take on other sectors in our subsequent write-ups.