A recent investigation has uncovered what motivated the coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.
Reports emerging on Wednesday revealed that an Army Colonel (name withheld) plotted Tinubu’s ouster, alongside several other high-ranking military officials.
This comes after the Nigerian Defence Headquarters confirmed the conclusion of an extensive probe into a clandestine move to destabilize the current administration.
Last October, the military high command arrested 16 officers, including a Brigadier-General and a Colonel.
At the time, official statements dismissed these reports as mere rumors, attributing the arrests to career stagnation and service regulation violations.
However, the newly released report from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has changed the narrative completely.
Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, stated on Monday that the investigative panel identified several officers who plotted the coup against Tinubu.
With the official confirmation, a report on Wednesday revealed what motivated the coup plot against Tinubu.
The report indicated that the Army officer, whose repeated failures in promotion reportedly fuelled his disaffection, mobilised like-minded officers across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, assigning them to survey critical national installations, including the Presidential Villa, major barracks, and international airports.
In the interim investigation report, the indicted Colonel was described as the alleged coordinator of the plot.
Investigators said the planned coup went beyond “casual dissent” and had entered the early stages of operational planning, including the covert surveillance of critical national assets such as the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks, Abuja, and Lagos international airports.
According to the report, the plot was uncovered following intelligence on “disgruntled elements within the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the civil populace,” leading to arrests, interrogations, and link analysis that exposed a structured conspiracy aimed at a coup d’état.
The report stated that the Army officer, who reportedly failed promotion exams twice, “harnessed these grievances to recruit like-minded officers,” openly lamenting his stagnation and expressing the need to “change government.”
“Multiple testimonies implicate Col (name withheld) as the coordinator of the conspiracy. He has been identified so far as the source of funding, recruitment, and motivation, openly lamenting his stagnation in promotion and expressing the need to ‘change government.’
“Several officers involved in the plot describe him as the figure who provided financial inducements and justification.
“Meanwhile, a search of his vehicle revealed several charms and write-ups such as the NUPENG strike action and other anti-government write-ups.
“Similarly, a search on his residence at Lokogoma, Apo, revealed very sensitive documents which included allocation of responsibilities to some of the principal actors.
“Also, key national dignitaries were earmarked to be handled by respective principal actors,” the report stated.
The 16 officers reported to be in custody were Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A.A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M.A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A.A. Yusuf, Lt S.S. Felix, Lt Cdr D.B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S.B. Adamu, and Maj I. Dauda.
