ABUJA: Fresh revelations have emerged from the ongoing military investigation into the alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with intelligence sources tracing about N45 billion in suspicious financial transactions to accounts belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and certain politically exposed individuals, including some of the detained military officers.
Earlier this month, Sahara Reporters had claimed that 16 Nigerian Army officers were arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government, linking the incident to the Federal Government’s cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebrations.
However, the Defence Headquarters swiftly dismissed the claim through its spokesperson, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who clarified that the detained officers were being investigated for professional misconduct, not treason.
Multiple reports indicated that operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently raided the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, as part of the probe into the alleged coup financing network.
Sources confirmed that DIA investigators had interrogated several top NDDC officials over the origin, beneficiaries, and disbursement pattern of the N45bn traced to the commission. The development has reportedly triggered widespread anxiety at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, with senior staff expressing fears that a broader financial probe could soon unfold.
According to insider accounts, part of the money was allegedly tied to a shoreline protection project valued at N45bn, awarded to a former South-South governor. Investigators are examining whether portions of the funds were funneled to some of the detained military officers.
A senior security source familiar with the investigation described the exercise as a broader intelligence-driven inquiry into the movement of public funds.
Another top NDDC staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the situation had left many directors uneasy.
Since the story broke about the questioning of senior executives, the atmosphere here has been tense. Many directors are cautious about their movements and communications,” the source revealed.
When contacted, NDDC spokesperson Seledi Thompson-Wakama declined to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, Chief Timipre Sylva has strongly denied any involvement in the alleged plot. His media aide, Chief Julius Bokoru, described the reports as the handiwork of “desperate politicians nursing 2027 ambitions.
He confirmed that Sylva’s Abuja residence was raided last Saturday by DIA operatives, who arrested his younger brother, Paga Sylva, and his driver, both of whom remain in custody. However, no items were taken from the house during the operation.
Bokoru explained that the former governor and his wife, Alanyingi, were outside Nigeria at the time of the raid His Excellency was in the United Kingdom for routine medical checks and was scheduled to proceed to Malaysia for a professional conference,Bokoru said.
He described the raid as politically motivated and accused some APC stakeholders in Bayelsa of orchestrating the rumours.
These politicians are consumed by their 2027 ambitions. Instead of focusing on governance, they are spreading falsehoods against Sylva, whose political strength exposes their selfish agenda,” he stated.
A close associate of Sylva confirmed that while the raid caused damage to several parts of the property including destroyed doors and ransacked rooms nothing incriminating was found.
Reports also linked NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to the alleged coup financing because of his past role as Sylva’s Chief of Staff during his tenure as governor. But Ogbuku dismissed the claim, saying:
I’m not aware of such. I only saw the news on social media like everyone else.”
In a separate statement titled “Setting the Record Straight on Recent False Reports about Sylva,” Bokoru reaffirmed that Sylva had no connection to any coup or anti-government movement.
Chief Sylva is a democrat whose political journey has always been rooted in lawful and transparent processes, he said.
“His steadfast support for President Tinubu is a matter of public record. Those peddling these lies are simply trying to eliminate a strong political rival ahead of 2027.”
The Defence Headquarters has also reiterated that no coup plot exists, describing the viral reports as false, malicious, and misleading, adding that the detained officers remain under investigation strictly for professional misconduct.
