Findings by Premier News indicate that the Nigerian military has arrested fifteen additional officers in connection with an alleged coup plot against the Federal Government, bringing the total number of detained personnel to more than forty.
Top security sources confirmed that the new arrests followed revelations extracted during interrogation of the first batch of sixteen officers earlier taken into custody. Those detained reportedly revealed the roles the newly arrested personnel were expected to play in what investigators described as a “grand scheme” to destabilise the nation.
According to the findings, security agencies are currently scrutinising communication exchanges among the suspects, with indications that more arrests could follow as the investigation deepens.
The first group of detained officers, Premier News gathered, includes senior and mid-level personnel drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Among them are Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq from Nasarawa, Colonel M.A. Ma’aji from Niger State, Lieutenant Colonels S. Bappah from Bauchi, A.A. Hayatu from Kaduna, Dangnan from Plateau, and M. Almakura from Nasarawa. Others are Majors A.J. Ibrahim and D. Yusuf from Gombe, M.M. Jiddah from Katsina, M.A. Usman from the FCT, and I. Dauda from Jigawa. Also detained are Captains I. Bello and A.A. Yusuf, Lieutenant S.S. Felix, Lieutenant Commander D.B. Abdullahi of the Navy, and Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu of the Air Force.
Most of the officers, sources said, are members of the Infantry, Signals, and Ordnance Corps, with a few drawn from other specialised units across the services.
Further investigation revealed that intelligence operatives working with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have traced a substantial amount of money to the suspected network behind the alleged plot. The funds, according to insider sources, were linked to a former governor who also served as a minister of state, suggesting possible political influence in the affair.
Security officials disclosed that the detained officers have been cooperating with investigators and have provided detailed accounts of their recruitment process, chain of command, and assigned responsibilities in the planned operation.
Although the Defence Headquarters has yet to issue an official statement on the latest arrests, military authorities are said to be maintaining silence pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
Three weeks ago, the Defence Headquarters confirmed the arrest of sixteen officers for what it described as “acts of indiscipline” and violations of service regulations. The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, had explained that the arrests followed a routine internal exercise aimed at maintaining discipline and professionalism within the Armed Forces.
He stated that some of the apprehended officers were already facing disciplinary action or awaiting trial for other offences, stressing that the Armed Forces would not condone any behaviour capable of undermining its integrity or threatening its constitutional role under democratic authority.
Gusau reaffirmed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain loyal to the Constitution, the Commander-in-Chief, and the nation’s democratic system.
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