A day after soldiers of the Nigerian Army allegedly raided the residences of a former Governor of Bayelsa State and loyalist of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja and Bayelsa, military authorities have remained silent on the matter.
A viral report had linked the military operation at the former petroleum minister’s homes to an alleged coup plot currently under investigation. However, the military has denied any ongoing coup attempt, maintaining that the sixteen detained officers are being investigated over internal disciplinary issues, not subversion.
In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the military explained that a routine internal exercise had led to the arrest of sixteen personnel for alleged indiscipline and violations of service regulations.
Gusau said preliminary findings indicated that the detained officers’ grievances were rooted in frustrations over stalled career progress, including repeated failures in promotion examinations.
Despite growing public interest, the Nigerian Army has so far declined to comment on the reported raids in Abuja and Bayelsa. Multiple calls and messages sent to the Spokesperson of the Guards Brigade and Brigadier General Gusau were not returned as of press time.
According to reports citing unnamed security sources, the operation was allegedly conducted by a special military team in the early hours of Tuesday at the former governor’s Maitama residence in Abuja. The report further claimed that the former governor had been linked to secret meetings with some of the detained officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
The operation was also said to have extended to his Bayelsa home, where his brother was reportedly arrested.
Meanwhile, some security insiders have questioned the military’s explanation, suggesting that the arrests and subsequent handover of the officers to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) may have political undertones.
“If the military were truly conducting a disciplinary operation, there would be thousands of similar cases. Why only sixteen officers, and why involve the DIA? This seems political; there’s clearly more going on behind the scenes,” a source familiar with the development was quoted as saying.
