Fresh details suggesting an elaborate plot by suspected coup conspirators to storm Nigeria’s seat of power, seize the Presidential Villa, and capture President Bola Tinubu and other top officials in a coordinated operation that spanned key military and national assets.
Findings show that beyond earlier reports of assassination plans, the alleged plotters also designed a multi-layered operation aimed at taking control of Aso Rock and other key locations, neutralising top military leadership, and decapitating Nigeria’s command and leadership structures.
At the heart of the alleged conspiracy was a plan to overrun the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria’s most fortified political stronghold, and capture President Tinubu, along with Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas were also to be captured and possibly eliminated.
Investigators say specific officers were detailed to lead the assault on the Villa, forming what sources described as the “decapitation unit” of the operation.
The alleged plan extended beyond political leaders to include key security figures such as National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, then Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and State Security Service Director-General Adeola Ajayi, all of whom were marked as high-value targets.
According to this newspaper’s multiple reliable insiders, the operation was structured like a full-scale military takeover, with units assigned to seize strategic installations simultaneously.
While one team moved on the Presidential Villa, another was tasked with taking control of the Niger Barracks, a critical military formation overlooking the presidential Villa and housing the country’s top military chiefs.
There, specific officers were allegedly assigned to eliminate top-ranking officers, including the Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs.
Additional units were designated to capture the Armed Forces of Nigeria Complex in the Garki District of the nation’s capital and secure the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, effectively cutting off both military coordination and escape routes.
One senior security source described the plan as “highly coordinated, with clear command structures, targets, and timelines,” suggesting it went far beyond a loose conspiracy.
Investigators say the network cut across operational, logistical, and psychological components, from battlefield coordination to messaging.
According to investigators, Officers A.A. Hayatu, D. Yusuf, M.A. Usman, Binuga, and A.A. Yusuf were assigned to strike at the Presidential Villa.
Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah was assigned to eliminate the Chief of Defence Staff. Lieutenant Colonel P. Dangnap was tasked with taking down the Chief of Army Staff.
A.A. Dauda was to target the Chief of Air Staff, while Major Jiddah was assigned to eliminate the Commander of the Guards Brigade.
Sources say this phase of the operation was designed to paralyse military response and prevent organised resistance to the takeover.
Beyond Aso Rock and the Niger Barracks, the alleged plot extended to other critical installations in Abuja.
Officer D.B. Abdullahi was designated to lead the team tasked with seizing the Armed Forces of Nigeria Complex.
Officer S.B. Adamu was assigned to head operations to take control of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, securing entry and exit routes into the capital.
The coordinated seizure of these sites, investigators say, would have effectively handed operational control of the capital to the plotters within hours.
The alleged conspiracy involved at least 40 suspects, including senior officers such as Brigadier General M.A. Sadiq, and Colonel M.A. Ma’aji, as well as several lieutenant colonels drawn from signals, infantry, and special forces units.
Other named officers include Lieutenant Colonels A.A. Hayatu, P. Dangnap, M. Almakura, and S.M. Gana, as well asMajors and Captains embedded across various units.
Investigators say the network also included civilians positioned for support roles. Among them were Umoru Zekeri, identified as an electrician within the Presidential Villa; Ali Isah, an ambulance driver; and Nollywood actor Stanley Kingsley Amandi, allegedly recruited to coordinate propaganda efforts during the operation.
