Sixteen senior military officers are currently in custody over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration, multiple security sources have confirmed.
The ongoing investigation, being handled by military intelligence units, has so far identified 14 officers from the Nigerian Army, with two others from the Navy and Air Force respectively.
According to information obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, 12 of the army officers are from the Infantry Corps, one from the Signals Corps, and another from the Ordnance Corps, departments responsible for combat operations, communication, and logistics.
Among those detained are a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and a lieutenant, alongside a naval lieutenant commander and an air force squadron leader.
The suspected leader of the group, Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq, a senior infantry officer from Nasarawa State, was said to have trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy between 1992 and 1997. Sources said he previously commanded key army units in Kano and Lagos.
Other notable officers reportedly in custody include Colonel M.A. Ma’aji, an infantry officer from Niger State, and several lieutenant colonels and majors who served in various military operations, including Operation Crocodile Smile and Operation Delta Safe.
The identities of the two non-army officers were given as Lieutenant Commander D.B. Abdullahi of the Navy and Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu of the Nigerian Air Force.
Although the military has yet to issue an official statement, the Defence Headquarters earlier dismissed claims linking the alleged plot to Nigeria’s low-key Independence Day celebration on October 1.
Security sources said the detained officers are being interrogated in Abuja to determine the extent of their involvement and whether any civilians were connected to the failed attempt.
The investigation, which began in early October, is still ongoing.
Below is list of detained military officers
- Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq – Infantry Corps, Nasarawa State
- Colonel M.A. Ma’aji – Infantry Corps, Niger State
- Lt. Colonel S. Bappah – Signals Corps, Bauchi State
- Lt. Colonel A.A. Hayatu – Infantry Corps, Kaduna State
- Lt. Colonel P. Dangnap – Infantry Corps, Plateau State
- Lt. Colonel M. Almakura – Infantry Corps, Nasarawa State
- Major A.J. Ibrahim – Infantry Corps, Gombe State
- Major M.M. Jiddah – Infantry Corps, Katsina State
- Major M.A. Usman – Infantry Corps, Federal Capital Territory
- Major D. Yusuf – Ordnance Corps, Gombe State
- Major I. Dauda – Infantry Corps, Jigawa State
- Captain Ibrahim Bello – Direct Short Service Commission Course 43
- Captain A.A. Yusuf – Nigerian Army
- Lieutenant S.S. Felix – Nigerian Army
- Lieutenant Commander D.B. Abdullahi – Nigerian Navy (Service No: NN/3289)
- Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu – Nigerian Air Force (Service No: NAF/3481)
