…As EFCC, NFIU probe suspected funders
The on-going investigation into the alleged coup attempt against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has deepened, with the number of detained military officers rising from 16 to 42, even as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) have joined the probe to trace suspected funding channels behind the plot.
Security sources told newsmen that the detained officers are currently being interrogated to determine their level of involvement and the extent of the alleged conspiracy. “So far, 42 officers have been picked up. They are being interrogated to establish the depth of involvement and whether there was any concrete plan beyond mere discussions”, one source said.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had earlier admitted to the arrest of 16 officers over what it described as “disciplinary issues”, declining to confirm any coup link. However, military insiders revealed that the detentions were tied to an alleged plot to disrupt Nigeria’s 26-year democratic rule.
Investigators have now expanded the probe to include suspected financial backers of the purported coup. The EFCC and NFIU are said to be conducting a forensic investigation of bank accounts belonging to the detained officers, as well as several civilians believed to be connected to the scheme.
According to security officials, the financial analysis involves tracing transaction histories, identifying fund origins, and reviewing transfers to uncover suspicious patterns or hidden beneficiaries. The investigation has reportedly been widened to cover business associates and political allies of key suspects.
Sources hinted that the development followed intelligence suggesting that about ₦45 billion was allegedly transferred from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to some of the individuals linked to the plot. Although the details remain unverified, authorities are said to have frozen some accounts pending the outcome of the inquiry.
The widening probe has also led to the raid of the Abuja home of former Bayelsa State governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva. His younger brother, Paga, and his driver were reportedly taken away by security operatives. Sylva’s spokesman, Chief Julius Bokoru, confirmed the raid but denied his principal’s involvement, alleging that political rivals were behind the accusations.
Meanwhile, the identities of the 16 officers earlier detained have surfaced. They include Brigadier-General Musa Abubakar Sadiq, Col M.A. Ma’aji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A.A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Major A.J. Ibrahim, Major M.M. Jiddah, Major M.A. Usman, Major D. Yusuf, Major I. Dauda, Capt Ibrahim Bello, Capt A.A. Yusuf, Lt S.S. Felix, Lt Commander D.B. Abdullahi, and Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu.
Reports indicate that Squadron Leader Adamu, attached to the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), was allegedly tasked with assassinating NSA Nuhu Ribadu — a claim investigators are still probing.
A military source noted that Adamu’s posting to the NCTC just weeks before the alleged coup attempt raised suspicions of infiltration within the military hierarchy. He is a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 59th Regular Course.
According to the Presidential spokesman, Sunday Dare, the Tinubu administration fully aligns with the position of the military authorities. “We are going to stick to the narrative of the military because they are constitutionally empowered to secure this country. Until the military comes up with a different narrative, we will stay with that”, he stated.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, and his NFIU counterpart, A’ishatu Bantam, did not respond to inquiries on the agencies’ roles in the on-going investigation.
