Fresh details have emerged about the identities of 16 Nigerian military officers reportedly detained over the alleged foiled coup of October 1.
According to reliable sources, 14 of the detainees are from the Nigerian Army, including one brigadier general, one colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and one lieutenant.
The remaining two officers include a Lieutenant Commander from the Navy and a Squadron Leader from the Air Force, both equivalent in rank to a major.
Reports suggest that most of the Army officers belong to the Infantry Corps, while one serves in the Signals Corps and another in the Ordnance Corps. Many of them are graduates of the 56th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), which ran between September 2004 and October 2008. Six of these officers were among the first to be arrested.
The other officers come from various NDA courses, with 15 hailing from the North Central, North East, and North West regions, while one lieutenant is from the South West.
The alleged coup plot
Sources revealed that the plotters allegedly planned to assassinate President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, among others.
However, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed reports of a coup attempt as false and misleading. The Presidency also clarified that President Tinubu’s recent appointment of new service chiefs was a routine administrative action within his powers as Commander-in-Chief.
Tinubu’s military reshuffle
Following the alleged coup scare, President Tinubu replaced General Christopher Musa with General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff.
Other new appointments included Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff. Major General Emmanuel Undiendeye retained his position as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
Although the Presidency did not connect the reshuffle to the alleged coup, sources suggest it followed weeks of internal military investigations.
Sylva’s brother arrested
As part of the probe, military operatives reportedly raided the Abuja home of former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva, arresting his brother and personal assistant.
Sylva, through his spokesperson Julius Bokoru, denied any link to the coup, stating he was in the UK for medical treatment and later planned to attend a conference in Malaysia. He described the raid as an unjustified act by “individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters.”
The investigation into the alleged coup remains ongoing, with reports suggesting that more arrests may follow as security agencies dig deeper into the claims.
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