Nigeria’s political and security establishments are on high alert following reports of an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, with both senior military officers and politicians reportedly under investigation.
Sources indicate that a discreet but wide-ranging probe is ongoing, led by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), into what is suspected to be a coordinated plan to destabilize the country during its Independence Day celebrations earlier this month.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) recently confirmed the arrest of 16 officers over what it described as “unprofessional conduct.” However, multiple intelligence sources told PRNigeria that the detentions may be connected to a broader inquiry into a suspected coup attempt involving actors from both northern and southern parts of the country.
Among those reportedly detained are senior officers serving in key military formations. The DIA is said to be working in collaboration with all three branches of the Armed Forces, while also probing the involvement of several civilian figures suspected of complicity.
According to insider reports, a prominent southern politician is being investigated for allegedly funding the suspected plot. Some of the individuals under scrutiny are believed to have links to royal families and influential political dynasties, fueling speculation about the depth and reach of the conspiracy.
Although no formal charges have been filed, security sources confirm that interrogation and surveillance activities are ongoing to establish the extent of involvement of each suspect. The identities of the arrested officers remain classified, but it is understood that they cut across multiple service branches.
Meanwhile, security agencies have been placed on heightened alert amid fears of potential unrest, with reinforced surveillance around strategic national assets and military installations.
Interestingly, PRNigeria reports that, unlike previous national security crises that quickly drew attention from international media outlets, no credible foreign news platform has independently verified the alleged arrests or coup plot. The absence of such confirmation has prompted skepticism about the authenticity and scale of the reports.
Security insiders, however, suggest that some of the detained officers may have been apprehended over internal disciplinary matters — including grievances related to stalled promotions and welfare concerns. Attempts to link those administrative issues to a coup plot, they caution, remain speculative and unsupported by hard evidence.
As of press time, neither the Nigerian Armed Forces nor the Federal Government has issued an official statement confirming or denying the reported coup plot.
Until such confirmation emerges, the alleged conspiracy remains unverified — though it has already raised serious concerns about cohesion within Nigeria’s military and political elite, as well as the broader implications for the country’s democratic stability.
