16 Military Officers Arrested Over Alleged Coup Plot Against Tinubu
…DHQ Denies Coup Rumour, Says Arrested Officers Only Under Routine Investigation
…Cancelling Independence Parade Had Nothing to Do with Alleged Coup, Military Insists
Daud Olatunji
Tension has gripped the Nigerian military as no fewer than sixteen senior officers have reportedly been arrested over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, PLATFORM TIMES has gathered.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the officers, drawn from different formations across the country, were picked up in a covert operation coordinated by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) after intelligence suggested they were planning to seize power from what they described as “selfish politicians.”
Although the military authorities have officially dismissed the arrests as “routine disciplinary action,” multiple sources insisted that the matter was far more serious.
The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, in a brief statement, said the affected officers were being investigated for “indiscipline and breach of service regulations,” adding that the arrests followed a “routine military exercise.”
However, insiders familiar with the development said the suspects included a Brigadier General who allegedly spearheaded the plot.
They were reportedly linked to a foiled plan to carry out a coup during the October 1 Independence Day parade in Abuja — a move that led to the sudden cancellation of the event.
According to one top security source, “Intelligence showed that the officers intended to take advantage of the national parade to strike.
The plan was to seize control of key national assets and neutralise top government officials, including the President.”
The detained officers, said to include Captains, Majors, and senior commanders, are currently being held at a secured DIA facility in Abuja as investigations intensify.
Nigeria has witnessed five successful coups and several failed attempts since gaining independence in 1960.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed as false and malicious an online report claiming that the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary activities was linked to an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, on Saturday, the DHQ said at no point did it mention any coup attempt, describing the report as “a deliberate act of misinformation aimed at creating unnecessary tension and distrust among Nigerians.”
Gusau explained that the decision to cancel the anniversary parade was taken to enable President Tinubu attend a strategic bilateral meeting outside the country and to allow the Armed Forces sustain momentum in ongoing operations against terrorism, insurgency and banditry.
“The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to a false and misleading report by an online publication insinuating that the cancellation of activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary was linked to an alleged attempted military coup,” the statement read.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) wishes to categorically state that the claims by the said publication are entirely false, malicious, and intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace,” it added.
Gusau further clarified that the sixteen military officers mentioned in the report were not arrested over any coup attempt, but are currently under investigation for professional misconduct — a routine internal process within the military.
“An investigative panel has been duly constituted, and its findings will be made public,” he said.
The DHQ urged Nigerians to disregard the rumours and continue to support the security agencies in their efforts to safeguard the nation.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains firmly loyal to the Constitution and the Federal Government under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement emphasized.
Gusau assured that democracy in Nigeria remains “forever,” adding that the Armed Forces, the Federal Government, and other institutions are working in unity for the nation’s safety, development and wellbeing.
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