Tension is rising within the Nigerian military following President Bola Tinubu’s ignominious sacking of the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and his replacement with General Olufemi Oluyede, a Yoruba officer – a move that has tilted the top echelons of the armed forces decisively toward the South for the first time in years. Defense HQ sources told Huhuonline.com that the sweeping shake-up, which also saw the appointment of another Yoruba officer, Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, is being widely interpreted as a calculated attempt by Tinubu to tighten his grip on the military amid growing unease over alleged divisions within the ranks. This lopsided profile has triggered quiet anxiety across political and military circles, rekindling fears that the federal government’s subsequent shake-up of the armed forces may have been driven by ethnic and political calculations rather than routine administrative necessity.
The restructuring came just as fresh details obtained from credible security sources and corroborated by multiple reports indicate that 15 of the 16 detained officers implicated in the alleged plot hail from the northern regions of Nigeria, while only one comes from the south. Huhuonline.com understands that this development has all but reopened deep-seated political fault lines that have long haunted the country’s democracy. The stark regional imbalance has fueled speculation that Tinubu’s reshuffle was as much political as it was strategic, aimed at consolidating southern dominance at a time of internal mistrust. As one analyst of northern extraction noted: “The optics are unmistakable. If 15 of the accused officers are from the North, and the new Defence Chief and Army Chief are both Yoruba, the political interpretation becomes unavoidable; it looks like a preemptive balancing of power in favor of the South”
The Alleged Coup That Refuses to Die
On October 1, ironically Nigeria’s Independence Day, whispers began circulating across Abuja’s political and security corridors about a foiled coup attempt involving mid-level and senior military officers. Initial reports suggested a conspiracy to overthrow the Tinubu administration, allegedly involving plans to assassinate President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas. Within hours, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed the reports as “fake news”, warning citizens against spreading panic. The Presidency, too, insisted there was no coup, describing the rapid replacement of service chiefs days later as “routine command rotation” – not a purge. But fresh intelligence and investigative findings have made that explanation harder to sustain. The alleged coup plot, long dismissed by the military as “a false and malicious fabrication” has resurfaced with new revelations that threaten to reopen one of the country’s oldest and most dangerous political wounds: the north-south divide.
The North-South Equation
Of the 16 officers arrested and currently under detention, 15 are from the North, specifically the North West, North East, and North Central zones. Only one, a young lieutenant, hails from the South West. The imbalance has provoked unease among both security analysts and political observers, who fear that the detentions; and the opaque investigation surrounding them, could further erode fragile trust between Nigeria’s regions. A senior retired general told Premium Times on condition of anonymity: “The military is supposed to be the last neutral ground in Nigeria’s politics. Once regional suspicion begins to color arrests or promotions, it corrodes the integrity of the entire security apparatus.” Multiple sources claim the detained officers belong primarily to the Infantry Corps, with others drawn from the Signals, Ordnance, Navy, and Air Force. Most of the detainees are graduates of the 56th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), trained between 2004 and 2008; a generation that came of age in the shadow of Boko Haram and Nigeria’s prolonged internal conflicts.
Tinubu’s Rapid Reshuffle
Within weeks of the alleged coup scare, President Tinubu announced one of the most sweeping military leadership overhauls in Nigeria’s recent history. He removed Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa – himself from the North East – and replaced him with General Olufemi Oluyede, a Yoruba officer from the South West. In the same breath, Tinubu appointed Major General Waidi Shaibu (COAS), Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke (CAS), and Rear Admiral Idi Abbas (CNS). Only the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiendeye, retained his position. While the Presidency maintained that the reshuffle was “a matter of professional rotation,” insiders described it as a strategic consolidation of power, meant to secure loyalty amid fears of internal dissent. Analysts note that Tinubu’s appointments tilted the top echelons of the armed forces decisively toward the South for the first time in years.
Who’s Who: The 16 Officers in Detention
Below is a verified profile summary of the 16 military officers detained in connection with the alleged coup plot:
1. Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq (N/10321) – Nasarawa State. Born 1974. Infantry Corps. Believed to be the prime suspect and alleged leader of the coup cell.
2. Colonel M.A. Ma’aji (N/10668) – Niger State. Born 1976. Infantry Corps. Former CO, 19 Battalion, Okitipupa.
3. Lt. Colonel S. Bappah (N/13036) – Bauchi State. Signals Corps. Born 1984.
4. Lt. Colonel A.A. Hayatu (N/13038) – Kaduna State. Infantry Corps. Born 1983.
5. Lt. Colonel P. Dangnap (N/13025) – Plateau State. Infantry Corps. Born 1986. Previously court-martialed in 2015.
6. Lt. Colonel M. Almakura (N/12983) – Nasarawa State. Infantry Corps. Born 1983.
7. Major A.J. Ibrahim (N/13065) – Gombe State. Infantry Corps. Born 1987.
8. Major M.M. Jiddah (N/13003) – Katsina State. Infantry Corps. Born 1985.
9. Major M.A. Usman (N/15404) – FCT (Abuja). Infantry Corps. Born 1989.
10. Major D. Yusuf (N/14753) – Gombe State. Ordnance Corps. Born 1988.
11. Major I. Dauda (N/13625) – Jigawa State. Infantry Corps. Born 1983.
12. Captain Ibrahim Bello (N/16266) – Born 1987. Direct Short Service Commission Course 43.
13. Captain A.A. Yusuf (N/16724) – Details withheld.
14. Lieutenant S.S. Felix (N/18105) – Only officer from the South West.
15. Lieutenant Commander D.B. Abdullahi (NN/3289) – Navy.
16. Squadron Leader S.B. Adamu (NAF/3481) – Air Force.
All 16 remain in undisclosed military detention facilities in Abuja and Kaduna. Family members have reportedly been denied access, while the Defence Headquarters insists “due process and internal procedures are being observed.”
Tinubu’s Calculated Response
The government’s silence on the ethnic composition of the arrests has done little to ease speculation.
Observers believe that Tinubu’s swift appointments of four new service chiefs, all with reputations for loyalty and technocratic competence, were a calculated move to reassert control and avoid any perception of vulnerability. According to Dr. Amina Bello, a political historian at Ahmadu Bello University: “The problem is not just whether there was a coup, but whether Nigerians still believe their armed forces are politically neutral. The regional imbalance in this case fuels suspicion that the arrests were as much political as they were security-related.” Adding to the confusion, former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva’s residence was raided by men alleged to be military operatives, and his brother was detained. Sylva, who was abroad for medical reasons, denied any connection to the coup plot, calling the raid “a bizarre act of intimidation.”
A Pattern of Power Consolidation
This episode marks yet another instance in a growing list of Tinubu administration reversals, recalibrations, and consolidations. Within just 16 months, Tinubu has reversed multiple appointments, amended policy decisions, and restructured key institutions – moves critics say reveal a governance style driven by reaction, not reflection. From the abrupt withdrawal of controversial presidential pardons to the cancellation of agency heads’ appointments, Tinubu’s presidency has developed a reputation for policy volatility. But in the current case, the stakes are far higher – they touch the raw nerve of Nigeria’s military cohesion and national unity.
Regional and International Reactions
Diplomatic observers say Nigeria’s international partners are watching closely. A senior Western defense attaché in Abuja told Reuters: “Even rumors of a coup attempt can shake investor confidence and regional stability. The Nigerian Army’s cohesion is vital not just for Nigeria but for West Africa’s broader security architecture.” At home, northern political figures have reportedly expressed private concern about the disproportionate arrests, while southern politicians view Tinubu’s shake-up as “a long-overdue rebalancing” after decades of northern dominance in the security sector.
A Nation on Edge
Despite denials, the alleged coup saga refuses to fade. With the detained officers yet to face open charges, speculation is filling the vacuum left by official silence. Public trust in Nigeria’s institutions, already strained by economic hardship and insecurity, is being tested again. The question now is not merely whether a coup was plotted, but whether Nigeria’s leadership can manage the political aftershocks of how the crisis has been handled. As one retired diplomat observed: “If the story of this alleged coup becomes another tale of ethnic scapegoating, it will do more harm to the republic than any plotters could have done with guns.”