Fresh details have surfaced about the 16 Nigerian military officers currently held in detention over an alleged plot to overthrow the government, according to an exclusive investigation by Premium Times.
The list includes senior officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, some with previous records of disciplinary issues.
At the centre of the alleged coup plot is Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq, a seasoned officer of the Nigerian Army’s Infantry Corps. Born on 3 January 1974, Sadiq, with service number N/10321, reportedly led the clandestine plan. A graduate of the 44 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), he has served in key command positions including the 3rd Brigade in Kano and the 81 Division Garrison in Lagos.
Sadiq, an indigene of Nasarawa State, was previously detained in October 2024 for alleged diversion of rice palliatives and the illegal sale of military equipment. He was promoted to brigadier general in 2019 after becoming a colonel four years earlier.
Suspected Strategist and Key Aides Identified
Investigators have also identified Colonel M.A. Ma’aji, born on 1 March 1976, as a major strategist in the coup plan. The Nupe-born officer from Niger State, with service number N/10668, trained at the NDA from 1995 to 2000 as part of the 47 Regular Course. An infantry corps officer, he commanded the 19 Battalion in Okitipupa, Ondo State, and took part in Operation Crocodile Smile II in 2017.
Other detained officers include Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah from Bauchi State (Signals Corps, service number N/13036), Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Hayatu from Kaduna (Infantry Corps, N/13038), and Lieutenant Colonel P. Dangnap from Plateau State (Infantry Corps, N/13025). Dangnap, notably, was court-martialed in 2015 alongside 29 others for alleged misconduct during operations against Boko Haram insurgents.
Lieutenant Colonel M. Almakura, another member of the 56 Regular Course, hails from Nasarawa State. The officer, born in 1983, also belongs to the Infantry Corps and has service number N/12983.
Mid-Level Officers and Younger Cadres Also Held
Among those detained are a number of mid-ranking officers. Major A.J. Ibrahim (N/13065) from Gombe State, born on 12 June 1987, is an infantry officer who trained at the NDA between 2004 and 2008. He was commissioned as a captain in 2013.
Major M.M. Jiddah from Katsina (N/13003) and Major M.A. Usman (N/15404) from the Federal Capital Territory, both members of the infantry, are also in custody. Usman, who trained as part of the 60th Regular Course from 2008 to 2012, was born on 1 April 1989.
Others include Major D. Yusuf (N/14753), an ordnance corps officer from Gombe, and Major I. Dauda (N/13625) from Jigawa State, who joined through the Direct Short Service Commission. Dauda, a member of Course 38, trained in 2009 and 2010.
As investigations continue, five other officers have been identified with limited details available. They include:
- Captain Ibrahim Bello, service number N/16266, born 28 July 1987, a member of the Direct Short Service Commission Course 43.
- Captain A.A. Yusuf, service number N/16724.
- Lieutenant S.S. Felix, service number N/18105.
- Lieutenant Commander D.B. Abdullahi, Nigerian Navy, service number NN/3289.
- Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu, Nigerian Air Force, service number NAF/3481.
The Federal Government has yet to make an official statement regarding the alleged coup attempt or the charges being considered against the detained officers.
