Fresh intelligence details have emerged on the foiled coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, revealing how a serving Army Colonel allegedly built a covert, cross-service network within the Armed Forces before security agencies disrupted the plan.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) recently confirmed the arrest of 16 officers for acts of indiscipline and breaches of military regulations, following weeks of discreet investigations sparked by rumours of a coup plot in October 2025. At the time, the DHQ publicly dismissed the reports as false, despite heightened tensions and the sudden cancellation of the Independence Day parade.
According to security findings, the alleged mastermind was a Colonel whose repeated failures in promotion examinations reportedly bred deep resentment. Investigators say he leveraged shared grievances to recruit officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force, gradually forming a loose but coordinated network.
Members of the group were allegedly tasked with surveying sensitive national installations, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks and international airports in Abuja and Lagos, with a view to identifying access routes and vulnerabilities.
Security sources disclosed that searches on the officer’s vehicle uncovered charms and anti-government materials, while a raid on his Abuja residence reportedly yielded documents outlining assigned roles and plans for handling top national figures once the operation began.
The plotters are said to have exploited insider access, infiltrating the Presidential Villa and compromising workers linked to construction firm Julius Berger to obtain security information. Encrypted communication platforms, unusual cash flows and discreet logistical preparations allegedly supported the operation.
Investigators traced financial inducements ranging from N2 million to N5 million to key actors, with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit analysing the money trail. One suspect, Lt-Col S. Bappah, reportedly turned a key witness, providing details on recruitment, funding and communication within the network.
Security officials described the plot as dangerous due to its cross-service reach, involving officers up to the rank of Brigadier-General, with President Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, service chiefs and other senior officials allegedly marked as targets.
The DHQ said indicted personnel will face military judicial panels, while investigations continue into possible civilian financiers and political links, as authorities move to dismantle every layer of what they described as a well-funded and coordinated threat to Nigeria’s constitutional order.
