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EXCLUSIVE: 35 Military Officers Including 33 Northerners Detained Over Alleged Coup Plot Against Tinubu
At least 35 Nigerian military officers are currently being detained over an alleged coup plot against the Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government, SaharaReporters has learnt.
This is contrary to a claim by the Defence Headquarters on Monday that 16 officers were arrested and being investigated for allegedly involved in plotting to overthrow the government
The military authorities had in statement said the indicted officers would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
The statement titled “UPDATE ON DISCIPLINARY CASES INVOLVING SIXTEEN OFFICERS INVESTIGATED FOR INDISCIPLINE, BREACH OF SERVICE REGULATIONS” was signed by Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba.
“It would be recalled that the Defence Headquarters issued a press statement in October 2025 regarding the arrest of sixteen officers over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations,” the statement said.
However, top military sources told SaharaReporters that 35 military personnel including 33 northerners and an operative of a paramilitary organisation are currently being detained over the coup plot.
Among the officers are; an army Brigadier General, 2 Colonels, 5 Lieutenant Colonels, 1 Wing Commander (Air Force equivalent of a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army), 8 Majors, 1 Lieutenant Commander (Navy equivalent of a Major in the Army), 2 Squadron Leaders (Air Force equivalent of a Major in the Army), 5 Captains, and a Lieutenant.
Also in detention are 10 non-commissioned officer (NCO) which include a Warrant Officer, 5 Sergeants, one Corporal and two Lance Corporals.
The source revealed that one of the detained Army Captains, A Yusuf is from Osun State.
Another Southerner on the list is Squadron Leader Zuzu, a senior Air Force Officer from Bayelsa State while the 33 others are all from the Northern part of the country including the FCT.
“The Defence Headquarters keeps deceiving Nigerians, the total number of officers under detention are 35 (Army, navy, Airforce). Why releasing a statement again claiming 16?
“It’s glaring the military authorities are hiding something. We even learnt that some of the arrested officers were forced to admit to the crime under duress, just to suit the report they intend to submit to the President,” one of the sources said.
He added, “Also, I want you to know that some of these military officers were invited from outside Nigeria where they were doing different courses.”
Calls put across to Major General Uba were not picked nor returned. WhatsApp message sent to his line was yet to be replied as of the time of this report.
In October 2025, SaharaReporters exclusively reported how some military officers were arrested by the Defence Intelligence Agency in Abuja over an alleged plot to overthrow President Tinubu’s government.
The DIA, established in 1986, is Nigeria’s primary military intelligence body. It is responsible for gathering and providing intelligence to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence to counter security threats, safeguard national integrity, and support military operations, including ongoing efforts against terrorism and insurgency.
In October 2025, top military sources disclosed the names and departments of some senior military officers who were at the time being detained over the alleged plot.
SaharaReporters had earlier exclusively reported that a Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Commander B. Abdullahi, was among the senior officers held in connection with the case.
Sources at the Defence Headquarters confirmed that the officers, drawn from the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force, were arrested in coordinated operations by military intelligence operatives following weeks of covert surveillance.
However, the Defence Headquarters initially dismissed the reports, saying the arrest of the officers mentioned in the reports was unrelated to any alleged coup plot.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters had reported on January 23, 2026, that at least five of the detained officers fell ill while in custody, with two reportedly collapsing due to worsening conditions.
Sources disclosed that the officers were allegedly transferred from an initial DIA detention facility to an underground military cell in Abuja described as dark and poorly ventilated.
Families of the detained officers have repeatedly raised concerns over what they described as inhumane treatment, prolonged incommunicado detention, and denial of access to lawyers and relatives.
Some spouses told SaharaReporters that they were not informed of transfers between detention facilities and had been barred from visits since the arrests.
The case has also drawn political attention following reports that military operatives raided the Maitama, Abuja residence of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, in connection with the investigation.
Sylva later confirmed the visit but denied any involvement, describing attempts to link him to the matter as politically motivated.
Despite earlier official denials of any coup plot, Monday’s statement by the DHQ now formally acknowledges that allegations of plotting to overthrow the government were among the findings against some of the detained officers.
-Source: SaharaReporters
His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar II, has announced the date for Eid al-Fitr in Nigeria.
The Emir, who is the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria, has not reported the sighting of the crescent moon of Shawwal, 1447AH, today, Wednesday, the 29th of Ramadan .
This was contained in a statement posted on the Facebook page of the Daular Usmaniyya , signed by the Wazir of Sokoto and Chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee of the Sultan’s Palace, Professor Sambo Wali Junaidu.
The statement stated that the Sultan’s Palace Moon Sighting Committee had not received any reliable reports of moon sightings from anywhere in Nigeria. According to this information, Thursday, March 19, will be the day to complete the 30th day of Ramadan.
The Sultan of Sokoto has declared Friday, March 20, 2026, as the day of the lesser Sallah, i.e. the 1st of Shawwal 1447AH.
He urged Muslims to use this time of Eid al-Fitr to pray for peace, unity, and sustainable development in Nigeria.
The statement said: “His Eminence, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR, mni, and Chairman, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has received the moon sighting report, which showed that the crescent moon was not sighted today, Wednesday.
“Accordingly, he declared Friday, March 20, 2026, as 1 Shawwal 1447AH (the Day of the Small Prayer). He also congratulated the Nigerian Muslim community on the occasion, and wished them the guidance and blessings of God.”
“He also called for continued prayers for peace, progress, and development of the country . He also wished Muslims a peaceful and prosperous Eid. May Allah (SWT) accept our acts of worship, amen.”
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri approves ₦19.6 billion Mother and Child Specialist Hospital in Yola The Adamawa State government says the hospital aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Adamawa State Fintiri explains that the facility will serve as a training center and improve healthcare services in the North-East.
Yola, Adamawa State – Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has approved the construction of a state-of-the-art Mother and Child Specialist Hospital in Yola. The proposed Mother and Child Specialist Hospital will cost the state ₦19.6 billion, and it’s expected to be completed within 52 weeks. The landmark project is designed to significantly strengthen maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare services across the state.
The project aligns with Governor Fintiri’s commitment to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. The hospital will also improve access to quality healthcare and position Adamawa as a referral hub for specialized medical services in the North-East region.
As reported by Daily Trust, the hospital will be equipped with modern medical technology and specialized units when completed.
The state governor explained that the hospital capable units to handle high-risk pregnancies, neonatal intensive care, pediatric emergencies, and other complex medical cases affecting women and children. Mother and Child Specialist Hospital will also serve as a training and research centre for healthcare professionals.
It will help to strengthen capacity and improve the quality of medical services within the state’s health sector. It will offer other healthcare services like advanced diagnostic and laboratory services, fully equipped operating theatres, intensive care units, emergency response facilities, and modern inpatient wards designed to provide quality care for patients.
Recall that Fintiri’s administration executed over 100 infrastructural, educational, health, and social projects across Adamawa state, transforming both urban centres and rural communities. The administration completed major road networks, flyovers, and township roads, including the Lamido Aliyu Mustapha Flyover, Yola, and the Nyibango-Yolde Pate Road in Yola South.
Over 100 new primary health care centres were built, while hospitals such as Numan General Hospital and Specialist Hospital, Yola, underwent comprehensive development and modernisation.
King Charles III ceremonially welcomed Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at Windsor Castle on Wednesday in the first state visit by the leader of Africa’s most populous nation in nearly four decades.
Tinubu has made less formal visits to Britain several times in his tenure, and the two countries remain major partners in trade, aid and defence. London is also home to a massive Nigerian diaspora.
King Charles and Queen Camilla greeted the president and his wife in Windsor, west of London, on a sunny afternoon as artillery fired Salutes
The Nigerian president and his wife earlier chatted with heir-to-the-throne Prince William and his wife Catherine at a hotel in Windsor.
The party then rode in carriages to the historic Windsor Castle, followed by cavalry in red and gold livery.
These include a Yoruba beaded throne presented to Queen Elizabeth II during an official visit in 1965.
They were also to view photographs of a Yoruba woman known as Sarah Forbes Bonetta, who became a protegee of Queen Victoria after being captured as a slave and taken to Britain by a naval captain.
In the evening, Charles and Tinubu were set to give speeches at a lavish state banquet.
‘Renewed chapter’
Nigeria’s presidency said the visit signalled a “renewed chapter” and reflected a shared commitment to “advancing trade and strengthening diplomatic ties”.
Calling the visit “historic”, London announced Nigerian companies, including banks, are expanding operations and creating hundreds of jobs in Britain, strengthening it as a global hub for African business.
Likely on the agenda are issues ranging from major Nigerian port renovations backed by Britain as well as trade, which reached £8.1 billion ($11 billion) in the year to September 2025, an 11.4 per cent year-on-year increase.
On Thursday, Tinubu is expected to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as well as members of the Nigerian community abroad, according to the official schedule.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, a Christian pastor, is set to preach at London’s Lambeth Palace — the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury — on Thursday and meet representatives of the Church of England.
The last Nigerian state visit to the UK took place in 1989, although Tinubu was received by Charles in September 2024.
Before the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022, Charles also visited Nigeria four times as Prince of Wales.
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