New Details on Alleged Coup Plot Against President Tinubu

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New information has come out about the plan that military officers allegedly made to overthrow President Bola Tinubu last year. This includes how they assigned tasks to members, used secret codes, and planned the timing and logistics of their attack. The details also cover their transition plan if they succeeded.

The documents, totaling over 7,400 pages, include statements from several suspects, bank records, secret notes, and proof of their conversations. These documents show that the alleged plan focused on taking key military sites, controlling broadcasting stations, gathering troops, and removing senior military leaders.

Earlier reports from PREMIUM TIMES said the alleged plot was mainly led by Mohammed Ma’aji, a colonel in the Nigerian Army, alongside a retired colonel, M.M. Adamu, lieutenant-colonel Shamsuddeen Bappah, and major Abdulkarim Ibrahim.

The three officers, except for Mr Adamu, who is reportedly on the run, gave separate statements that matched each other about the operational plan. They used code words during their meetings to discuss the plot.

For example, they called themselves farmers and referred to the entire operation as farming. They used terms like fertilisers for logistics, harvest for the execution day, digital farming for the operation, and technical partners for clerics they approached for prayers.

They also used “H-hour” to mean the time of execution and “D-Day” for the day they planned to carry out their attack.

Timing of the Coup

Mr Ibrahim told investigators that they planned to launch the operation between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., saying this timing matched past military takeovers. He mentioned that while no final date was set, they discussed three possible dates: 27 September 2025, 1 October 2025 (Independence Day), and 4 October 2025. Other officers, including Mr Ma’aji, confirmed some of these dates.

One suspect, Ilyasu Jamilu, a major, told investigators that the three dates were considered, but they did not agree on one because they had not completed their preparations.

Mr Ibrahim said the leader of the plot told them that the final date depended on the availability of troops, weapons, and other logistics. He stated, “Col Ma’aji mentioned that the availability of troops and equipment would determine which of the dates would be D-Day.”

Roles in the Alleged Coup

The documents show that each member had a specific task. Mr Usman was to lead the operation at Aso Villa, Nigeria’s presidential residence, after scouting the area with help from insiders, including a police officer named Ahmed Ibrahim.

The prosecution shared more details about the planned attack on Aso Villa during the trial concerning the alleged coup in the Federal High Court in Abuja. A video played during a court session in May showed Zekeri Umoru, one of the six accused, telling investigators that the coup planners thought about cutting the power supply to the Villa at the time of the attack.

But Mr Umoru, who worked in the Maintenance Department at the Villa, warned that such a sudden blackout would lead to investigations and detaining workers on duty. He said the alleged coup leaders planned to recruit 18 to 19 people, including soldiers, State Security Service operatives, and Julius Berger staff working in the Villa.

Mr Bappah was assigned to take over 102 Battalion in Zuma, Niger State, while Mr Ibrahim was first assigned to secure the Armed Forces Headquarters but later changed to Radio House in Abuja, where he was to give the takeover speech.

A squadron leader from the Nigerian Air Force, S.B. Adamu, was tasked with taking control of Air House; Muhammad Jiddah, a major, was to seize the residence of the then Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, while Daniel Yusuf, also a major, was to take over the residence of the then Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, now the defence minister.

The documents also showed that Captain Akinwale Yusuf, based in Lagos, was expected to seize a divisional headquarters there, while Mr Adamu, the fugitive colonel, would coordinate activities from Niger Barracks in Abuja.

Mr Ibrahim told investigators that although Mr Bappah was initially meant to announce the takeover, that responsibility was later given to him.

Airports as Key Targets

The documents indicate that airports were a major part of their plan. Mr Ibrahim said they believed the operation would fail if planes were allowed to keep landing and taking off. He stated they planned to use squadron leader Noel Zuzu’s gun truck on the runway to stop flights in Abuja during the takeover.

Sunday Felix, a lieutenant, said he was tasked with checking the airport in Lagos, collecting operational details, and disrupting flights on “D-Day” with help from an engineer. “I knew the airport’s security arrangements due to my role in traffic control during visits of VIPs,” Felix told investigators.

Troop and Weapon Plans

The records show that the alleged conspirators wanted to gather soldiers and equipment from various military bases. Mr Ma’aji told investigators that Mr Usman would get resources from 45 Special Forces Battalion in Bida. Ponfa Dangnap, a lieutenant colonel, was to mobilise troops and gear from 134 Battalion in the North-east, and Mr Ibrahim was to gather resources from 198 Battalion, also in the North-east.

Mr Ma’aji claimed that both Abulrahman Hayatu, a lieutenant colonel, and Mr Dangnap assured him they had enough troops, vehicles, and weapons, even though no execution date had been set for them.

Mr Ibrahim also told investigators he had been informed that Mr Dangnap would send four gun trucks and Mr Hayatu would bring two trucks and soldiers for the operation. Another suspect, Bayawo Abdullahi, said he was responsible for gathering personnel from a naval unit he commanded. He had about 14 soldiers and access to three operational Hilux vehicles.

Plans for Arrests, Not Killings

One interesting part of Mr Ibrahim’s statement was about how they would treat senior military officers after the takeover. He warned Mr Ma’aji against any bloodshed, arguing that past successful coups usually relied on getting senior officers to cooperate instead of killing them. Mr Hayatu also disagreed with the idea of killing anyone.

Mr Ibrahim said the coup leader said service chiefs and other targets would be arrested. But this differs from what another accused officer, A.D. Dauda, a major, told investigators. Mr Dauda said Mr Ma’aji had said the former CDS would need to be arrested or killed to avoid interference with the operation. This conversation made him pull away from the alleged plot.

Mr Umoru, the Julius Berger worker linked to the Villa, shared his view on the planned raid during his video interrogation shown in court. He said the level of force they planned to use would depend on how much help they could get from Villa insiders.

After warning Mr Ma’aji that a sudden power cut at the Villa would raise alarms and lead to detaining workers, Umoru said the coup leader decided that force might be necessary if insiders did not cooperate.

The Transition Plan

Mr Ibrahim told investigators that Colonel Ma’aji aimed to become the Head of Government if the operation worked. He said Mr Ma’aji planned to move into the Presidential Villa after Mr Usman secured access.

He also claimed Mr Ma’aji intended to announce new service chiefs during his first speech, but no names were shared with the group. Some members were promised positions in a government after the takeover.

Mr Ibrahim said they were asked what roles they wanted if the operation succeeded. While Mr Jamilu wanted to be an aide-de-camp, Mr Felix was promised a ministerial role. Mr Bappah wanted to head the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

The coup allegations are being looked into at the General Court Martial by military authorities and the Federal High Court in Abuja. Former military officers and some civilians face 13 charges, including treason, terrorism, and money laundering related to the alleged failed coup. While little is known about the General Court Martial proceedings, journalists have reported extensively on the trial at the Federal High Court. The six accused have challenged the admissibility of their statements, arguing that how the evidence was gathered violated their rights under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. The prosecution insists all pretrial actions were properly handled and has urged the court to dismiss the defendants' objections. The court has yet to make a decision.