Military investigators are reportedly tracing a suspected N45 billion transaction from the NDDC allegedly linked to a coup plot.
The probe has intensified following raids and questioning of high-profile political figures.
SEE ALSO: 16 Officers Detained as Military Probes Alleged Coup Plot Against Tinubu
The Nigerian military has reportedly launched a financial investigation into a suspected N45 billion transaction from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), allegedly linked to an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to reports by multiple credible outlets, including The PUNCH and Premium Times, the funds were traced to certain politically exposed persons and some of the detained soldiers.
Earlier this month, Premium Times reported that sixteen Nigerian Army officers were being detained for allegedly planning to overthrow President Tinubu’s government. The claim surfaced after the Federal Government cancelled the 65th Independence Day celebration, a move that fueled speculation about political tension within the military.
However, the Defence Headquarters dismissed the reports, insisting that the detained officers were being investigated for professional misconduct, not for planning a coup. Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, described the allegations as “false, misleading, and malicious.”
Fresh updates revealed that military investigators recently raided the Abuja home of former Bayelsa State governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva. The search was reportedly tied to an ongoing Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) probe into the alleged coup funding.
Sources said the DIA questioned senior NDDC officials about the disbursement and beneficiaries of the N45 billion. The money was allegedly linked to a shoreline project awarded to a former South-South governor, with portions of it reportedly traced to bank accounts of detained soldiers.
A senior security source described the investigation as part of a “broader intelligence-based inquiry into public fund movements.”
The situation has reportedly caused anxiety at the NDDC headquarters, as insiders fear the probe could expand into a full-scale audit of the commission’s financial activities. One official said, “Since news of the interrogation broke, many top staff have become very cautious about their communications and movements.”
NDDC spokesperson Seledi Thompson-Wakama declined to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters again denied any coup attempt, insisting that the officers’ detention had nothing to do with an attempt to topple the government.
Reacting to reports linking him to the case, Sylva’s media aide, Chief Julius Bokoru, said his principal had no connection to any coup plot, describing the rumors as a creation of “desperate politicians with 2027 ambitions.”
