Military intelligence operations reportedly uncovered approximately N11 billion traced to the bank accounts of a colonel who is currently detained in connection with an alleged plan by senior military figures to overthrow the government.
* Financial Discovery: High-level security sources indicated that the substantial financial find established a link between the detained colonel and the suspected coup. The officer, who previously served in the Niger Delta region and worked directly under a brigadier general also being investigated, claimed the massive sum belonged to a former state governor who he identified as his business associate. He maintained the money was intended for a “legitimate business transaction,” according to a source close to the investigation.
🔍 Details of the Investigation
The ongoing inquiry is part of a broader surveillance operation that began in August 2024, following intelligence tips that suggested some active military personnel were organizing to topple the administration.
* Intelligence Gathering: Security personnel revealed that the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) had been closely monitoring communications, money transfers, and foreign contacts of the suspects for several months before any arrests were executed.
* Targeted Dates: Sources indicated that the alleged plotters were under watch since last August and had planned to carry out their strike on three different occasions, including the June 12 Democracy Day and October 1 Independence Day this year. The suspects reportedly held meetings abroad in the UK and Turkey this year, while the DIA methodically collected evidence.
* Presidential Security: The intelligence gathered by the DIA reportedly prompted a review of President Bola Tinubu’s travel and location protocols, with his increased time in Lagos and reduced presence in Abuja partially influenced by security assessments at the time. The Independence Day celebration was reportedly canceled due to “credible intelligence” that the coup would be executed on October 1.
🛡️ Service Chiefs Dismissal and Public Reaction
Last Friday, President Tinubu announced the removal and replacement of all the service chiefs.
* Reason for Dismissal: Sources suggested that the firing of the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, was partly a consequence of a “management error”: the Defence Headquarters had publicly confirmed the arrest of 16 officers. This disclosure was deemed careless because the authorities were trying to avoid providing a justification for the plot or inviting international misinterpretation of the situation. The mass dismissal was reportedly intended to obscure the disciplinary action aimed at Musa and prevent speculation.
* Regional Dimension: Despite the Defence Headquarters’ denial of a coup, ongoing operations suggest otherwise. A media report revealed that 15 of the detained military personnel hail from Northern regions of the country. Security sources noted that official communication has been deliberately cautious to avoid fueling political tension and ethnic suspicion within the military by publicizing the regional identities of the suspects.
* Military Restructuring: Both the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Nigerian Army have since announced major reorganizations of their top commanders and senior officers to enhance operational efficiency and align with the new leadership’s vision.
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