A high level military investigation into an alleged plot to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu has uncovered a sophisticated logistical network, spearheaded by the procurement of 32 SUV vehicles for covert operational purposes.
According to a report by Premium Times on Friday, security sources with direct knowledge of the investigation, disclosed that the vehicles, primarily Toyota Land Cruisers and Nissan Patrols (commonly designated “Gulf” models), were systematically acquired to form a clandestine transport and surveillance fleet.
Their intended mission profile included personnel insertion/extraction, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and facilitating discreet access to critical infrastructure nodes.
According to detailed intelligence briefings, the vehicles were designated for a triad of high-risk clandestine activities essential to the plot’s operational phase. Their primary function was to provide non-attributable transport for operatives, allowing movement between key targets without raising the profile typical of official convoys.
Secondly, the SUVs were to be deployed as mobile surveillance platforms for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. This included monitoring the routines of high-value targets and conducting pre-operational reconnaissance of sensitive locations such as major airports and government facilities.
Thirdly, the common appearance of these vehicles was intended to grant discreet, unsuspected access to secure perimeters, enabling close-quarter intelligence gathering and potentially facilitating the rapid deployment of assault teams.
Crucially, the investigation has moved beyond mere intelligence to secure hard, documentary evidence. A senior source stated, that the military has completed chain of custody—invoices, bank transfer records, and logistical distribution manifests, as part of its forensic evidence.
This financial and procurement trail is now central to the evidence matrix being compiled by military prosecutors. It details not only how the vehicles were acquired but also outlines the broader funding channels and supply network that supported the alleged conspiracy.
The probe has identified a retired Major General, codenamed ‘Adamu’ by investigators, as a principal coordinator within the network. The General is currently a fugitive, having evaded an early sweep of arrests. Three other key suspects also remain at large.
With the evidence catalogued, the machinery of military justice is now being engaged. Authoritative sources within the Defence Headquarters confirm that a formal request for a General Court Martial is pending final presidential authorization.
No fewer than 25 serving military officers and other personnel are expected to face charges, likely to include conspiracy to commit mutiny, treason, and conduct prejudicial to military discipline under the Armed Forces Act.
Simultaneously, a separate but parallel investigation is targeting the civilian apparatus of the plot. An undisclosed number of individuals are in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), facing interrogation over their roles in financing, intelligence coordination, and material support.
This latest revelation provides tangible substance to the rumour that shook the nation’s capital in late September 2025. That plot, allegedly spearheaded by Colonel Muhammed Ma’aji, envisioned the simultaneous neutralization of the nation’s command authority—including President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and Senate President Akpabio—and the detention of senior military leaders like then-Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.
The gravity of the threat prompted the unprecedented cancellation of the Independence Day parade. The official military response initially downplayed the arrests, attributing them to “indiscipline” and “grievances over promotion.”
The aftermath, however, told a different story. President Tinubu executed a sweeping strategic reshuffle of the nation’s entire military high command, a move now clearly understood as a decisive purge triggered by the depth of the betrayal uncovered. Only Generals Olufemi Oluyede and Emmanuel Undiandeye retained their positions, with Oluyede elevated to the role of Chief of Defence Staff.
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