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By, Onome Jackson Military authorities are continuing investigations into a foiled coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Below is the details of 16 officers currently detained in connection with the plot. According to security sources, 14 of the detained officers are from the Nigerian Army, with two others from the Navy and Air Force. Of the army personnel, 12 are from the Infantry Corps, one from the Signals Corps, and one from the Ordnance Corps. The ranks of those in custody include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains and a lieutenant. The Navy officer is a lieutenant commander, while the Air Force officer holds the rank of squadron leader. Authorities have not issued a formal statement on the alleged plot, offering only a denial that it was linked to the scaled-down Independence Day celebrations on October 1. Key Officers Identified are: Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq, believed to be the alleged ringleader, is from Nasarawa State and a member of NDA Regular Course 44. He was previously detained in 2024 over alleged diversion of relief materials and military equipment. Colonel M.A. Ma’aji, from Niger State and a member of the 47 Regular Course, is suspected of playing a strategic planning role. He formerly commanded the 19 Battalion in Ondo State and served under Operation Delta Safe. Other officers include: Lt. Col S. Bappah (Signals Corps), Bauchi State, Lt. Col A.A. Hayatu (Infantry), Kaduna State, Lt. Col M. Almakura (Infantry), Nasarawa State, Majors A.J. Ibrahim, M.M. Jiddah, M.A. Usman, D. Yusuf, and I. Dauda, Captains Ibrahim Bello and A.A. Yusuf, Lt. S.S. Felix, Lt. Commander D.B. Abdullahi (Navy), Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu (Air Force) Sources say interrogations are ongoing, and details of alleged roles and motives have not yet been made public. The Defence Headquarters and the Presidency have remained silent. 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 told SaharaReporters 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 told SaharaReporters they initially believed their relatives had been kidnapped, as there was no official communication from the military regarding their arrests. Earlier, SaharaReporters 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),” More updates are expected as investigations progress.
