Abuja, Nigeria | Sixteen senior military officers are currently in detention over an alleged coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, PREMIUM TIMES has reported.
According to military sources, 14 of the detained officers are from the Nigerian Army, while two others belong to the Navy and the Air Force.
Of the army officers, 12 serve in the Infantry Corps, the combat unit that handles ground operations. One is from the Signals Corps, which manages communications, and another from the Ordnance Corps, responsible for military supplies and weapons maintenance.
The detained officers include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and one lieutenant, along with a navy lieutenant commander and an air force squadron leader.
So far, the Nigerian government and the Defence Headquarters have remained silent on the matter. The military only clarified that the alleged coup was not connected to the low-key Independence Day celebration held on October 1st.
Key Officers in Detention
Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq, believed to be the leader of the plot, was born in 1974 and hails from Nasarawa State. He once commanded the 3rd Brigade in Kano and the 81 Division Garrison in Lagos. He was previously detained in 2024 over alleged diversion of relief materials and sale of military equipment.
Colonel M.A. Ma’aji, from Niger State, allegedly played a strategic role in the plan. A former Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion, Okitipupa, he participated in several military operations, including Operation Crocodile Smile II in 2017.
Other senior officers in custody include Lt. Colonels S. Bappah, A.A. Hayatu, P. Dangnap, and M. Almakura, all members of the 56 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Five majors — A.J. Ibrahim, M.M. Jiddah, M.A. Usman, D. Yusuf, and I. Dauda — as well as two captains and one lieutenant, were also listed among those detained.
From other services, Lieutenant Commander D.B. Abdullahi of the Navy and Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu of the Air Force were also named.
No official statement has been released by the Presidency or military authorities regarding the alleged plot.
Security analysts believe the silence is intended to avoid public alarm and allow investigators to conclude their work.
If confirmed, this would be one of the most serious internal security threats faced by the Tinubu administration since he assumed office in May 2023.
