Inside Nigeria’s Coup Scare: Military Officers Accused of Plotting Tinubu’s Overthrow
The Nigerian military has launched a high-level investigation into an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, following the arrest of at least 16 officers, including a brigadier general and a colonel.
Intelligence reports revealed that the suspects were holding clandestine meetings and expressing dissatisfaction with the government, prompting fears of a violent power grab.
Military sources confirmed to Premium Times Nigeria that more officers have been detained since the initial arrests in late September.
“The report is true. More have been picked up since the initial arrests,” one senior officer said.
The source added that the alleged plotters had selected a tentative date for the coup and had drawn up a list of top government officials marked for assassination.
The leak of the plan triggered panic within the presidency, leading to the abrupt cancellation of the National Independence Day parade on October 1.
“It was a military ceremony and they did not want to take any risk,” the officer explained.
Since then, only minimal ceremonial activities—such as a Guard of Honour at the airport have been held.
Although the Defence Headquarters has not directly confirmed the coup plot, its spokesperson Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau acknowledged that 16 officers were under investigation for “indiscipline and breach of service regulations.”
In a statement issued on October 4, Gusau said,
“Upon completion of investigation, indicted officers will face the full military disciplinary process in accordance with established procedures to ensure accountability and preserve professionalism within the Armed Forces.”
An investigative panel has been constituted to probe the matter, with representation from the army, air force, navy, police, and the State Security Service.
While the identities of the panel members and their meeting locations remain undisclosed, sources say the committee has been sitting for over a week.
“The intelligence pointed to plans to destabilise the government. Some officers were reportedly holding meetings to discuss a possible takeover,” another official said.
Preliminary findings suggest that the detained officers were motivated by career stagnation and repeated failures in promotion examinations.
The development comes amid rising public frustration over economic hardship and follows a recent coup in Madagascar—marking the ninth such incident in Africa since 2020.
The suspects are currently being held at a classified military facility in Abuja, as authorities continue to assess the depth of the alleged conspiracy and its implications for national security.
