By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Rumour has emerged that no fewer that 16 top officials of the Nigerian military have been arrested and detained at a facility in the nation’s capital Abuja, over an alleged plot to oust President Bola Tinubu.
According to local online platform, Sahara Reporters which quoted military “top source”, the detention of the personnel is connection with a coup attempt contrary to a military press release which said their detention is due to “repeated failure in promotion examinations and perceived career stagnation”.
“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,” the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau had said in a statement on October 4.
“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,” he added.
The officers led by an Army Brigadier General were allegedly planning to stage a coup and take over government from “selfish politicians”, the platform quoted a top official working in the Defence Intelligence Agency as saying.
The coup was said to have been thwarted after an intelligence report by Defence Intelligence Agency. “The 16 officers were planning a coup. The military authorities were just being diplomatic in the statement released by the spokesperson. They have started doing secret meetings on how to overthrow the President and other top government officials,” the source told SaharaReporters.
“They’re all officers within the rank of Captain to Brigadier-General and are still in detention at DIA as we talk. They were picked recently at their various houses around the country. Their main objective was to overthrow President Tinubu and announce a military government, ” the source said according to Sahara Reporters
It could be recalled that the traditional October 1 Independence Day parade was cancelled. This source said the move was linked with the planned coup. .
“This was because intelligence reports showed they planned the coup on October 1st during a military parade. So the National Security Adviser and other service chiefs asked the Tinubu-led government to cancel the parade earlier scheduled to mark the day.
“Their plan was to shoot at the President and other top politicians during the event. The move by the military authorities announcing their arrests was to douse tension,” the source noted further.
Meanwhile, a source at the military who spoke with Heritage Times (HT) in the condition of anonymity confirmed the development, giving the names of the arrested officers as Maj Gen AK Ibrahim, the Commandant at the Defence Agency, Brig Gen Yusuf, the Commander of Operation Safe Corridor and other top officers.
The source did not disclose when the arrested officers will be charged before a military court.
In Nigeria, coup is a capital offence. Those involved may likely be executed if found guilty.
