Military Investigates Alleged Coup Plot as Key Figures, Including Sylva’s Associates
Military Investigates Alleged Coup Plot as Key Figures, Including Sylva’s Associates
Military investigators are currently questioning a Managing Director of a Federal Government agency in the South South region over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. It has been reported that the MD was detained for transferring a large sum of money to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who is suspected of being one of the financiers behind the alleged coup attempt.
Sources confirmed that the funds were believed to be intended to finance the planned overthrow of the government. An intelligence officer stated, “The MD transferred a significant amount of money to Sylva, and investigators are examining whether this transfer is connected to the coup. He is currently being questioned about the purpose of the funds.”
In a related development, investigators raided Sylva’s Abuja residence on Saturday. During the operation, they arrested his younger brother, Paga, who is his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, along with his driver. Sylva, who is also a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was out of the country at the time.
Sources familiar with the operation explained that Sylva was in the process of returning to Nigeria when he learned of the arrests of the coup leaders, prompting him to delay his plans. “Sylva’s Abuja home was raided, but he was not present. His brother and driver were detained. Investigators believe Sylva financed the coup plot. He was abroad and was preparing to come back when he heard about the arrests, so he decided to stay put,” the source said.
The military’s Defence Media Operations Director, Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, and the Defence Information Director, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau, were unavailable for comments on Tuesday.
Previously, Brig-Gen Gusau issued a statement on October 4, indicating that 16 officers had been detained for breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline. The statement suggested that the officers’ grievances were related to perceived stagnation in their careers and repeated failures in promotion examinations.
However, SaharaReporters reported that the officers, ranging from Captain to Brigadier General, were detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency over alleged involvement in a conspiracy to topple the government. The platform claimed that the officers were arrested at their homes nationwide and accused of planning a coup, with some sources suggesting that secret meetings were ongoing among the plotters to overthrow President Tinubu and other top officials.
