Fresh revelations have emerged about the 16 Nigerian military officers currently in custody over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to credible sources cited by Premium Times, the detained personnel include 14 officers from the Nigerian Army, alongside one officer each from the Navy and the Air Force.
The arrests have reportedly sparked quiet unease within military circles, given the seniority and diversity of those involved.
Among the detained Army officers are a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and one lieutenant.
The naval and air force personnel are said to be a lieutenant commander and a squadron leader, respectively, both of whom hold ranks equivalent to that of a major in the Army.
A senior defence source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said most of the detained Army officers are members of the Infantry Corps, the backbone of Nigeria’s ground combat operations.
“This is not a random sweep; these are experienced field officers with years of active command experience,” the source stated.
Further findings suggest that 12 of the Army officers come from the Infantry Corps, while one belongs to the Signals Corps, which handles communications, and another serves in the Ordnance Corps, which oversees weapons and logistics management.
Investigations also indicate that a significant number of the suspects belong to the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 56 Regular Course, whose members trained between September 2004 and October 2008.
At least six of those detained, four lieutenant colonels and two majors, were identified as part of that batch.
Others reportedly hail from the NDA’s 44th, 47th, 59th, and 60th Regular Courses, as well as Short Service Commission Courses 38 and 43.
Meanwhile, security analysts have described the arrests as “highly sensitive,” noting that it show ongoing concerns about loyalty and internal cohesion within the military ranks.
“For officers of this calibre to be linked to a coup plot, even at the level of suspicion, shows the extent of discontent within the system,” said a retired Army officer familiar with military intelligence procedures.
Of the 16 detained officers, 15 are said to be from the North-Central, North-East, and North-West regions, while the only officer from the South-West, a young lieutenant, is reportedly the most junior among them.
Although the military authorities have yet to issue an official statement, sources said the detainees are being interrogated under strict conditions as part of a broader investigation to determine the scope of the alleged conspiracy.
AFRIPOST reports that this development marks one of the most serious internal security scares for the Tinubu administration since it came to power, raising questions about morale and political neutrality within Nigeria’s armed forces.