At least sixteen senior military officers have been arrested by the Nigerian Armed Forces for allegedly plotting a coup d’état to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, SaharaReporters has learned from multiple top security sources.
A coup d’état refers to a sudden and illegal seizure of power by members of the military or political elite to unseat a sitting government.
Although the Nigerian military recently stated that the detained officers were being held over “repeated failures in promotion examinations and perceived career stagnation,” reliable sources confirmed that the arrests were actually linked to a coup plot.
In a statement released a few days ago, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, said:
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
“Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues.
“Some of the apprehended officers had been under jurisdiction for various offences, either awaiting or undergoing trial. Their conduct was deemed incompatible with the standards of military service.”
However, a senior official of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) directly involved in the arrests told SaharaReporters that the detained officers—led by a Brigadier General—were planning to seize power from what they described as “selfish politicians.”
“The 16 officers were indeed plotting a coup. The military authorities only tried to be diplomatic in their public statement. They had been holding secret meetings to overthrow the President and other senior government officials,” the source disclosed.
According to him, the suspects, ranging from the ranks of Captain to Brigadier General, are currently being held at the DIA headquarters after being arrested from their various residences across the country.
“Their main goal was to topple President Tinubu and declare a military government,” he added.
Another security source further revealed that the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade was directly connected to the foiled coup attempt.
“Yes, they were arrested for planning to seize power. That was the real reason the Independence Day parade, scheduled for Wednesday, October 1, to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, was called off,” the source said.
“Intelligence reports indicated that the coup was to be executed during the parade. The plan was to open fire on the President and other top politicians at the event. Following the intelligence, the National Security Adviser and the service chiefs advised the government to cancel the ceremony to avoid disaster. The official statement about their arrests was meant to calm public tension,” he explained.
Since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the country has witnessed five successful military coups.
In recent years, widespread allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the armed forces have reportedly demoralised many officers and soldiers, fueling discontent within the military hierarchy.
