Nigerian military makes fresh arrests over alleged coup plot against Tinubu
The Nigerian military has reportedly made new arrests linked to an alleged plan to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Among those detained is Major H. Yusuf of the Nigerian Army, a member of the 57 Regular Course who recently completed his Senior Course at the Armed ForcesCommand and Staff College, Jaji.
Major Yusuf is being held alongside other suspects in connection with what authorities have described as a coup plot, though details surrounding the alleged conspiracy remain scarce, according to report by SaharaReporters.
Investigations into the matter have been ongoing since 2025, but no formal trial has been initiated, and the specifics of the alleged plan have not been publicly disclosed.
Observers have described the situation as opaque.
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), recently revealed that he was among senior officials marked for elimination in the alleged coup plot uncovered by the military late last year.
Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, the minister said the plotters intended to arrest him and shoot him if he resisted.
His disclosure came days after the Armed Forces confirmed that some of the 16 officers arrested in October 2025 would be prosecuted for allegedly attempting to overthrow President Tinubu’s administration.
“I was also a target,” General Musa, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), said during the programme. “I was supposed to be arrested, and if I refused, I was supposed to be shot.”
In October, the military announced the arrest of 16 officers for what it described at the time as acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.
However, authorities in January 2026 said subsequent investigations uncovered evidence linking some of the officers to a plot aimed at destabilising the government.
In a statement, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said findings showed that certain suspects were involved in actions “inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
He added that those found to have cases to answer would be formally arraigned before a military judicial panel in line with the Armed Forces Act and other relevant service regulations.
The alleged plot was said to have extended beyond the military hierarchy, with reports suggesting that several top government officials and other prominent Nigerians were listed as potential targets.
The attempted coup has also been linked in some quarters to the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade.
Separately, the residence of former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, was reportedly raided over alleged links to the plot, though no formal charges have been publicly confirmed.
Earlier, SaharaReporters exclusively reported the arrest of a policeman alongside military officers accused of planning to the coup.
The police officer, identified as Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, is from Taraba State.
It was learnt that Ibrahim was arrested in Abuja by operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency and presently in the agency’s custody.
