Fresh details have emerged from the ongoing investigation into an alleged coup plot involving some military officers and civilians, with security agencies outlining the weapons, vehicles and funding channels they say were assembled for the operation, according to a report by Premium Times.
The probe is being handled by an inter-agency panel chaired by the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiandeye, following a covert operation last year by Army Headquarters and the State Security Service (SSS) that led to the arrest of more than 40 suspects.
Sources familiar with the investigation said the panel’s findings described what they termed a structured plan involving reconnaissance, logistics, funding and internal coordination.
Among the items reportedly recovered was a cache of weapons allegedly traced to a lieutenant colonel attached to the Army’s 130 Battalion. Investigators were said to have recovered two gun trucks, anti-aircraft guns, PKT machine guns, RPG bombs, AK-47 rifles, ammunition and other tactical gear.
Security sources said the scale of the weapons recovery raised serious concerns within the military high command.
Investigators also seized several vehicles believed to have been acquired for covert movements. These reportedly included four Toyota Hilux trucks, a Toyota Prado SUV, two Toyota saloon cars and 32 Volkswagen Golf vehicles.
One official involved in the probe said the vehicles were selected to enable discreet movement around sensitive locations.
“The cars were used to move operatives around without attracting attention and to conduct reconnaissance activities linked to the plot,” the source said.
The investigation also identified a retired major general, Adamu, as a key figure in the network. He is said to be on the run along with three other suspects.
Intelligence sources reportedly traced one of the fleeing suspects to a country in South America, though authorities declined to provide further details.
Security agencies are said to be working collaboratively, both locally and across borders, to dismantle what investigators described as remaining cells linked to the alleged plot.
Authorities are also awaiting presidential approval to commence court-martial proceedings for the implicated officers. While 16 officers were initially arrested, the expansion of the investigation reportedly led to additional arrests, with at least 25 military personnel expected to face trial.
Civilians suspected of playing roles in financing and logistics are being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the SSS.
The investigation also mentioned former Bayelsa State governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, in connection with alleged funding of the plot. He has publicly denied any wrongdoing.
According to sources, Sylva allegedly moved close to ₦1 billion in tranches through three Bureau De Change accounts to support the operation.
Investigators believe the plot was initially planned to coincide with the 29 May 2023 presidential inauguration but was postponed due to funding and logistical gaps. The alleged conspirators are said to have revisited the plan in 2024 after securing more resources.
Sources further claimed that beyond seizing strategic locations, the alleged plan included assassination targets. Those reportedly marked included President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Additional findings indicated that the service chiefs and the Commander of the Guards Brigade were also on the list. While some senior military officers were allegedly to be detained, political leaders were reportedly marked for elimination.
Specific roles were said to have been assigned to certain officers to take control of the Presidential Villa, Niger Barracks, the Armed Forces of Nigeria Complex and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Investigators also claimed that the alleged plot relied on informants within and around the Presidential Villa to monitor the movements of targeted officials.
“They have people inside the Villa who monitor the movements of these officials. The plan was to strike simultaneously and install a military government,” one source said.
Earlier, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that the investigation had been concluded and the report transmitted to the “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
The military said the findings pointed to several officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government, describing such actions as a breach of the ethics and professional standards expected of members of the Armed Forces.
What began as a discreet internal security operation has since developed into one of the most sensitive national security investigations in recent years.
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