BREAKING: Coup Plot: Nigerian Military Reveals Identity Of Officer
The Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Commander B Abdullahi, has been identified as one of the senior military officers detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for allegedly planning a coup d’etat to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
Naija News House exclusively reported the arrest and subsequent detention of the senior military officers led by an Army Brigadier General for planning a coup on October 1st Independent Day celebrations.
While the Nigerian military in a statement claimed the detention of the officers was linked to “repeated failure in promotion examinations and perceived career stagnation”, top sources had revealed that they were actually arrested over a coup plot.
A top source from the Nigerian military authorities said on Thursday that a Naval officer and two Air Force personnel are among the detained officers, while the others are from the Nigerian Army.
The authoritative source identified the Navy personnel as Lt Commander B Abdullahi.
Abdullahi is of the 56 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
The detained officers, drawn from the army, navy, and air force, have been held for over three weeks in an undisclosed Abuja facility under what sources described as “unusual and suspicious conditions.”
Family members had said they initially believed their relatives had been kidnapped, as there was no official communication from the military regarding their arrests.
It was had revealed one of the alleged leaders of the plot as one Lieutenant Colonel Al-Makura.
“Like I told you earlier, it was trio service. Two Air Force personnel. One from Bayelsa State and the other from Jigawa. Also, a Naval Officer was arrested, he is B Abdullahi (56RC),” the source said.
It was reported exclusively on Tuesday how some Nigerian Army personnel raided the Abuja residence of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Timipre Sylva, in connection with the alleged coup plot currently under investigation by the DIA.
Multiple security sources told the newspaper that the army raid occurred at Sylva’s home in the Maitama area of Abuja.
According to insiders, a “special military team” carried out the operation after intelligence linked the “former South-South governor” to secret meetings allegedly held with some of the detained military officers.
“Nigerian Army special team ransacked the home of Timipre Sylva, who is believed to have fled Nigeria,” one top source familiar with the development had said.
“He is the South-South former governor frequently mentioned in the case. His brother, named Paga, was picked up during the raid. The operation also extended to his Bayelsa residence.”
However, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, Sylva dismissed claims that he fled the country to evade questioning, clarifying that he has been abroad for a routine medical check-up and a professional engagement.
Bokoru added that the former minister’s Abuja home suffered significant damage during the raid, adding that no clear reason or authorisation had been provided by the security personnel involved.
“Despite sustained efforts, I have been unable to ascertain the reasons or authorisation for this raid. The officers did not provide any categorical explanation for their actions, either at the time or subsequently,” he had said.
