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| Timipry Silver. |
Military authorities investigating an alleged plan to overthrow President Bola Tinubu are reportedly interrogating a Managing Director of a Federal Government agency located in the South South region.
Two intelligence sources confirmed that the Managing Director was arrested for allegedly transferring a significant amount of money to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who has been named among those suspected of financing the alleged attempt to topple the government.
According to investigators, the funds are believed to have been intended for financing the coup.
“The MD (name withheld) transferred a huge sum of money to Sylva. Investigators are working on the theory that the fund transfer was connected to the coup. He is presently answering questions about what the money was meant for.”
Security operatives reportedly searched the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State Governor Sylva on Saturday, arresting his younger brother, Paga, who serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, along with his driver.
The former minister and member of the All Progressives Congress was said to be outside Nigeria at the time of the raid.
Sources familiar with the situation revealed that Sylva had initially planned to return to the country but decided against it after learning that some of the suspected coup plotters had been arrested.
“Sylva’s Abuja home was raided on Saturday, but he wasn’t around. His younger brother, Paga, who is the SA, Domestic, and the driver, were arrested. Investigators believe Sylva allegedly funded the coup plot. Sylva was abroad and was preparing to leave for Nigeria when he got wind of the arrest of the coup leaders. So, he stayed back.”
Efforts to contact the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, and the Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau, on Tuesday were unsuccessful as both did not respond to calls.
In a statement issued on October 4, Gusau had announced that 16 military officers were detained for violating service regulations and acts of indiscipline.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
“Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations,” the statement partly read.
However, reports indicated that the detained officers, ranging from the ranks of Captain to Brigadier General, were being held by the Defence Intelligence Agency on allegations of plotting to overthrow the government.
It was also gathered that the officers were apprehended at their respective residences across the country.
“The 16 officers were planning a coup. The military authorities were just being diplomatic in the statement released by the spokesperson. They have started holding secret meetings on how to overthrow the President and other top government officials,” a source revealed.
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