EXCLUSIVE: Army Officers Detained For Alleged Coup Plot Against Tinubu Are Attached To NSA Ribadu's Office, Include Ex-Governor’s Nephew

The Nigerian Army officers who are currently in detention for allegedly planning a coup d’etat to overthrow President Bola Tinubu are attached to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), SaharaReporters has gathered.

ONSA is led by Nuhu Ribadu, a lawyer and retired police officer serving as National Security Adviser to President Tinubu.

The staff in the office are usually drawn from the Nigerian intelligence, armed forces, law enforcement and paramilitary units.

Earlier, SaharaReporters exclusively reported the arrest and subsequent detention of senior military officers led by an Army Brigadier General for planning a coup d’etat on October 1st Independent Day celebrations.

While the Nigerian military in a statement few days ago claimed the detention of the officers was linked to "repeated failure in promotion examinations and perceived career stagnation", top sources had revealed  that they were actually arrested over a coup plot.

According to a senior official of the Defence Intelligence Agency, those arrested were planning to stage a coup and take over government from “selfish politicians”.

He added the coup attempt was thwarted after an intelligence gathering by the DIA and sister agencies.

“The 16 officers were planning a coup. The military authorities were just being diplomatic in the statement released by the spokesperson. They had started doing secret meetings on how to overthrow the President and other top government officials,” the source had told SaharaReporters.

“They're all officers within the rank of Captain to Brigadier-General and are still in detention at DIA as we talk. They were picked recently at their various houses around the country. Their main objective was to overthrow Tinubu and announce a military government.”

“Yes, they were arrested for planning to stage a coup and take over government. That was the main reason why the Independence Day parade scheduled to hold on Wednesday, October 1 as part of activities marking the country’s 65th Independence Anniversary was cancelled,” another source had said.

Giving an update on Saturday evening, the senior intelligence official told SaharaReporters that the officers, mostly Northerners are attached to the NSA office.

He identified one of the alleged leaders of the plot as Lieutenant Colonel Al-Makura who just returned from a special combat course in China.

The accused officer is a nephew to Tanko Umaru Al-Makura, a former governor of Nasarawa State and current Board Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

“The ring leader of the coup is Lieutenant Colonel Al-Makura. Don’t be confused cause we have two Al-Makuras in the Army, two brothers and both are Lieutenant Colonel. One is the Commanding Officer of 343 Artillery Regiment in Elele, though he was detained briefly but he was released last night (Friday) after investigation showed he wasn’t involved in the planned coup plot by his brother and others.

“The accused, Lieutenant Colonel Al-Makura just came back from a course in China and was posted to the NSA office few months ago. He is a no nonsense infantry officers and very popular in Maiduguri, Borno state. Both Al-Makuras are nephews of the former Nigerian governor.

“Seeing the full list of the accused officers, most of them are from Northern Nigeria, sadly the young ones among them were deceived to join the plan.”

He added, “None of them has access to their family members currently.”