Military investigators are reportedly questioning a Managing Director of a Federal Government agency in the South-South over alleged financial links to a suspected plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, The PUNCH has learnt.
Two intelligence sources confirmed that the MD was arrested for allegedly transferring a large sum of money to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who has been named among those suspected of funding the purported coup attempt.
“The MD transferred a huge sum to Sylva. Investigators believe the money was tied to the coup funding,” one source said. “He is currently being interrogated to explain the purpose of the transaction.”
According to security sources, Sylva’s Abuja residence was raided by military operatives on Saturday. His younger brother, Paga, who serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, and his driver were arrested during the operation.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, was reportedly abroad at the time. Investigators believe he decided not to return to Nigeria after learning that several suspected coup plotters had been detained.
“Sylva was planning to come back when he heard about the arrests, so he stayed back,” a security official told The PUNCH.
Efforts to reach the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, and the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, were unsuccessful as they did not answer calls from reporters.
Earlier this month, Gusau confirmed in a statement that 16 military officers were arrested over “acts of indiscipline and breach of service regulations,” explaining that their grievances were linked to frustration over repeated failures in promotion exams.
However, online platform SaharaReporters claimed the detained officers — from the rank of Captain to Brigadier General — were being held by the Defence Intelligence Agency for allegedly plotting to topple the government. The report said they were picked up from their homes across the country.
As of press time, neither the Defence Headquarters nor Sylva had publicly responded to the new allegations.
