Names and Ranks of 16 Military Officers detained over alleged coup plot against Tinubu.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the identities and ranks of 16 senior military officers allegedly involved in the foiled coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration have emerged, following ongoing investigations by military authorities.
According to PREMIUM TIMES exclusive report, 14 of the detained officers are from the Nigerian Army, while the remaining two are from the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, 12 of the army officers belong to the Infantry Corps, the Nigerian Army’s frontline combat unit. One officer is from the Signals Corps, which oversees military communications, while another serves in the Ordnance Corps, responsible for weapons, ammunition, and logistics management.
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The army officers reportedly include one brigadier general, one colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and one lieutenant. The remaining officers are a lieutenant commander of the Nigerian Navy and a squadron leader of the Nigerian Air Force both ranks equivalent to a major.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, the military and the Federal Government have maintained silence. The Defence Headquarters has only stated that the alleged coup plot was not responsible for the low-key Independence Anniversary celebration held on October 1.
Alleged Leader of the Plot
Among those detained is Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq, whom investigators reportedly suspect to be the leader of the alleged coup plot. Born on January 3, 1974, the Nasarawa State indigene is an Infantry Corps officer and a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course 44.
According to PREMIUM TIMES, Brig. Gen. Sadiq has previously faced allegations of misconduct. In October 2024, he was reportedly detained over alleged diversion of rice palliatives and the sale of military equipment, including operational vehicles. He has held strategic positions such as Commander of the 3rd Brigade in Kano and Garrison Commander of the 81 Division in Lagos.
Other Officers Named
Also listed is Colonel M. A. Ma’aji, an Infantry Corps officer and former Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion in Okitipupa, Ondo State, who investigators believe played a strategic role in the alleged plot, though this claim has not been independently verified.
Other detained officers include lieutenant colonels, majors, captains, and lieutenants from different NDA regular and short service courses, as well as Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi of the Navy and Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu of the Air Force.
PREMIUM TIMES noted that details about five of the officers remain sketchy, but all are currently being detained for their alleged roles in the plot.
Investigations are ongoing as security agencies continue to unravel the extent of the alleged conspiracy and determine the next legal steps.
