Fresh Coup Allegations Rock Military as Another General is Named

New developments have emerged regarding Brigadier General Musa Sadiq of the Nigerian Army, who has been linked to an alleged conspiracy to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Military authorities have officially confirmed the attempted coup and wrapped up internal investigations.

Reports indicate that Brigadier General Sadiq was one of 16 senior military officers arrested and detained in October of the previous year for their purported involvement in the foiled coup attempt. This incident is believed to have led to the cancellation of the Independence Day parade on October 1.

According to Premium Times, among those detained, 14 are Army officers, while the remaining two belong to the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.

The scope of the investigations has since widened to include additional military personnel and some civilians.

At the early stage of the arrests, military authorities declined to acknowledge the existence of a coup plot, stating that the officers were merely being investigated for “indiscipline and breach of service regulations”.

However, the gravity of the allegations soon triggered sweeping changes at the top of the armed forces. President Tinubu dismissed several service chiefs, retaining only Olufemi Oluyede and Emmanuel Undiendeye.

Oluyede, who was then Chief of Army Staff, was appointed Chief of Defence Staff, replacing Christopher Musa, while Mr Undiendeye retained his role as Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Amid rising political and diplomatic tension, including controversial claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria by United States President Donald Trump, Mr Musa was later recalled and appointed Minister of Defence, replacing Muhammed Badaru, who resigned citing health reasons.

Defence headquarters confirms coup investigation

About two months after reports of the coup plot surfaced, the Defence Headquarters publicly confirmed the allegations.

In a statement issued on Thursday, 26 January, the military said investigations into the attempted overthrow of the government had been concluded.

“The investigation found a number of the officers culpable of allegations bordering on plotting to overthrow the government,” the statement said. It added that the conduct of the indicted officers was “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria”.

“Accordingly, those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations,” the military said.

Allegations against General Sadiq clarified

Despite being named in intelligence briefs as a suspected figure in the plot, military officials familiar with the investigation said the core allegations against Brigadier General Sadiq differ from those levelled against other suspects. Sources described his role as that of an “accessory” rather than a direct participant in the planning or execution of the coup.

According to investigators, General Sadiq was informed in advance of the coup plan by officers directly involved but failed to report the information to the appropriate authorities.

“He was aware of what was being planned but chose not to act,” a military source said. “That failure to report constitutes a serious breach of military conduct.”

Profile of the implicated general

Brigadier General Sadiq, service number N/10321, was born on 3 January 1974 and hails from Nasarawa State. He trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy between August 1992 and September 1997 as a member of Regular Course 44 and belongs to the infantry corps, Vanguard reported.

He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming a colonel in 2015 and attaining the rank of brigadier general in 2019.

During his career, he held several key command positions, including Commander of the 3rd Brigade in Kano and Garrison Commander of the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army in Lagos.

Past controversies resurface

This is not the first time General Sadiq has come under official scrutiny. In October 2024, he was reportedly detained over allegations of gross misconduct, including the diversion of rice palliatives and the sale of military equipment such as generator sets and operational vehicles to scrap dealers.

Although those allegations are separate from the current coup-related case, they have resurfaced as part of a broader review of his service record.

Military authorities have yet to issue a detailed public update on his current status. General Sadiq has not responded publicly to the allegations, while sources said due process and military justice procedures are ongoing.