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The identities and service records of sixteen senior Nigerian military officers detained over an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s government have been revealed in an exclusive investigation by Premium Times.
According to the report, the officers, drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, are currently under military detention as investigators probe claims of a foiled plan to overthrow the administration.
Fourteen of the suspects are from the Nigerian Army, while two others serve in the Navy and the Air Force respectively.
Sources cited by Premium Times disclosed that twelve of the detained army officers belong to the Infantry Corps, the military’s frontline combat unit. One officer serves in the Signals Corps, which oversees communications, while another is from the Ordnance Corps, responsible for maintaining weapons and logistics.
The alleged ringleader, Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq, 51, hails from Nasarawa State and is a member of the 44 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). Commissioned in 1997, he previously served as Commander of the 3rd Brigade in Kano and Garrison Commander of the 81 Division in Lagos.
He had earlier faced investigation in 2024 over alleged diversion of rice palliatives and unauthorised sale of military equipment.
Other detained officers include, Colonel M.A. Ma’aji from Niger State; Lieutenant Colonels S.B. Bappah from Bauchi, A.A. Hayatu from Kaduna, M. Almakura from Nasarawa, and P. Dangnap from Plateau; as well as Majors A.J. Ibrahim from Gombe, M.M. Jiddah from Katsina, M.A. Usman from Abuja, D. Yusuf from Gombe, and I. Dauda from Jigawa.
The remaining five are Captain Ibrahim Bello, Captain A.A. Yusuf, Lieutenant S.S. Felix, Lieutenant Commander D.B. Abdullahi of the Navy, and Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu of the Air Force.
Although the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has not publicly confirmed the alleged coup attempt, it recently stated that the low-key Independence Day celebrations on 1 October were unrelated to any security issue.
Military sources, however, revealed that the detentions, which began in early October 2025, are linked to intelligence-led investigations into the officers’ activities.
The development comes amid growing political tension and economic hardship in Nigeria, as the nation grapples with rising inflation, insecurity, and public dissatisfaction with government policies.
As of the time of publication, none of the detained officers has been formally charged, and the Defence Headquarters has yet to provide further clarification on the status of the ongoing investigation.
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