By MOHAMMED DANBABA
The wives of Nigerian military officers detained over an alleged coup plot in Nigeria have accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of orchestrating a calculated purge aimed at weakening Northern influence within the armed forces, drawing direct parallels with the mass retirements carried out under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Speaking exclusively to SaharaReporters, the spouses rejected claims that their husbands were involved in any plan to overthrow the Tinubu-led government, describing the arrests as a politically motivated witch-hunt disguised as a national security operation.
According to them, the unfolding developments mirror Obasanjo’s post-1999 strategy, which saw dozens of senior officers—many from the North—forced into retirement under the guise of military reforms.
“Most of them are highly professional and dedicated officers,” one of the wives said. “What is happening now is exactly what Obasanjo did to cripple Northern influence in the military.”
Mass Arrests Spark Ethnic and Political Tensions
Reports indicate that at least 35 military personnel, cutting across the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force, are currently in custody over the alleged coup plot in Nigeria. Of this number, 33 are said to be Northerners, alongside one operative of a paramilitary organisation.
The detained officers include a Brigadier General, two Colonels, five Lieutenant Colonels, a Wing Commander, eight Majors, a Lieutenant Commander, two Squadron Leaders, five Captains, and a Lieutenant. Also held are 10 non-commissioned officers, comprising a Warrant Officer, five Sergeants, one Corporal, and two Lance Corporals.
While the majority of detainees hail from Northern states, two officers reportedly come from the South. Army Captain A. Yusuf is from Osun State, while Squadron Leader Zuzu, a senior Air Force officer, is from Bayelsa State.
Geographical Spread Raises Fresh Questions
Further breakdown shows that two officers—a Brigadier General and a Lieutenant Colonel—are from Nasarawa State. Six others, including three non-commissioned officers, are from Niger State. Katsina State accounts for three officers, including a Colonel who was reportedly undergoing a course in North Africa at the time of his arrest.
Three Lieutenant Colonels are from Kaduna, Plateau, and Kano states, while two Majors hail from Gombe State and another from Bauchi. Additional detainees come from Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Taraba, Yobe, Kogi, Sokoto, Adamawa, and the Federal Capital Territory.
The widespread locations of the arrests, families argue, further weaken claims of a coordinated coup attempt.
“They were arrested or invited from different duty posts. They were never gathered in one place,” a spouse said. “If there was truly a plot, wouldn’t they have fled once the first arrests were made?”
Financial Links Used as Evidence
One of the most troubling allegations raised by families is that several officers were implicated merely for having financial transactions with colleagues already under investigation.
“My husband and others were indicted simply because they had financial dealings with some arrested officers,” a wife disclosed, insisting that such transactions were routine and unrelated to any subversive activity.
She also criticised Northern political and traditional leaders for what she described as deafening silence.
“We condemn all Northern elders for keeping quiet. May Allah vindicate the innocent and judge those who are truly guilty.”
Obasanjo Comparison Dominates Narrative
The families repeatedly referenced Obasanjo’s tenure, recalling how, after assuming office in 1999, he retired at least 93 military officers, many of whom had previously held political positions. In 2001, another 37 officers were reportedly targeted, with accusations of over-ambition and plotting to alter Nigeria’s political order.
They argue that Tinubu, like Obasanjo, is now using coup allegations as justification to restructure the military leadership in a way that diminishes Northern dominance.
“Tinubu should be honest about his intentions instead of hiding under coup allegations,” one spouse said. “This is about power, not security.”
Detention Conditions Raise Human Rights Concerns
Beyond political implications, the alleged coup plot in Nigeria has also raised serious human rights concerns. Families say detainees have been held incommunicado, denied access to lawyers, and transferred between facilities without notice.
Last week, reports emerged that at least five detained officers fell ill, with two allegedly collapsing in custody. Sources claim they were moved from a Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) facility to an underground military cell in Abuja described as dark and poorly ventilated.
Official Silence and Contradictions
While the Defence Headquarters initially dismissed reports linking the arrests to a coup plot, a statement released on Monday appeared to reverse that position, formally acknowledging that allegations of plotting to overthrow the government formed part of the findings against some officers.
The case has also taken a political turn following reports that military operatives raided the Abuja residence of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva. Although Sylva confirmed the visit, he denied any involvement, calling the linkage politically motivated.
As investigations continue, the alleged coup plot in Nigeria has deepened fault lines around ethnicity, civil-military relations, and executive power—raising unsettling questions about whether national security is being used as a tool for political engineering.
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