From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
Confusion and tension gripped the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday following social media reports alleging that armed personnel of the Nigerian Army stormed the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, in connection with an alleged coup plot currently under investigation by security authorities.
According to the reports, a special military team allegedly carried out the operation in the early hours of Tuesday at Sylva’s Maitama home, sparking widespread speculation across political circles and the media.
Although the Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Army are yet to issue any official statement, efforts by Niger Delta Herald to reach the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, and the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Appolonia Anele, proved abortive as calls and messages were not responded to at press time.
Sources quoted in the unverified reports claimed that the raid was not arbitrary but allegedly followed “credible intelligence” linking certain political figures, including the former governor, to secret meetings with some detained military officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
One source was quoted as saying:
“The Nigerian Army special team ransacked the home of Timipre Sylva, who is believed to have fled Nigeria. He is the South-South former governor frequently mentioned in the case. His brother, Paga, was picked up during the raid.”
Another insider reportedly confirmed that although the military had not made any public statement, “the operation was part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged network of civilian collaborators connected to the suspected coup plotters.”
Meanwhile, reports indicate that 16 military officers linked to the alleged plot have been held incommunicado for over three weeks in an undisclosed facility in Abuja. Their families, unaware of the arrests, initially feared they had been kidnapped, as no official communication was made by the authorities.
“It’s been 18 days since those 16 officers were detained in an undisclosed location. At first, we thought our brother was kidnapped before finding out what transpired from his friend who works in the NSA office,” a family source reportedly told journalists.
A retired senior officer who spoke anonymously expressed concern about the secrecy surrounding the arrests and the lack of transparency in the ongoing investigation.
“If the military were truly conducting a disciplinary operation, over 10,000 cases could emerge. Why only 16 officers, and why hand them over to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA)? This smells of politics. There’s clearly more going on behind the scenes,” the retired officer said.
As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of Chief Timipre Sylva remain unclear. The former minister, who served under the Buhari administration and was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 Bayelsa election, has yet to issue any statement responding to the allegations.
The Defence Headquarters and the Army have maintained silence, heightening public anxiety and leaving room for speculation on what could be one of Nigeria’s most politically sensitive security operations in recent years.
