For months, rumors and secrecy surrounded last year's alleged Independence Day coup plot in Nigeria. Now, with this week's indictment of six individuals, the first details of what is described as an elaborate plan to oust President Bola Tinubu have emerged.
The plot was allegedly set to unfold on October 1, 2025, the 65th anniversary of Nigeria's independence from the UK. However, the celebratory parade was abruptly cancelled, and the government and military offered little explanation. It wasn't until January that the military acknowledged a thwarted coup, announcing court-martial proceedings against 16 unnamed senior officers.
Court documents filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja reveal the name of the alleged mastermind—Colonel Mohammed Ma'aji—and suggest the plotters aimed to destabilize the state before taking over. The six defendants include civilians, a police inspector, and retired military personnel, all of whom have denied 13 charges of treason, terrorism, and money laundering.
The Alleged Mastermind
Colonel Mohammed Ma'aji, 50, is identified as the chief strategist. A Muslim from Niger State, he spent much of his early career in the oil-rich Niger Delta, where he developed ties with militants and oil businessman Timipre Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State. Ma'aji reportedly coordinated security for Sylva during his failed 2015 re-election bid, a relationship central to the alleged plot.
Financing and Players
Timipre Sylva, 67, is named in seven of the 13 counts as "still at large." Though not indicted this week, he is believed to be a key financier. A former oil minister under President Muhammadu Buhari, Sylva is a member of the ruling APC but did not support Tinubu in 2023. His Abuja home was raided after the cancelled parade; his spokesman denies involvement, calling the allegations politically motivated. Sylva is said to be in the UK for medical treatment.
Court documents allege payments ranging from 2 million to 50 million naira were made to civilians for services—money they "ought to have known" came from unlawful acts linked to terrorism financing.
The Day of the Plot
Details of the alleged operation remain sealed, but a military investigator described plans to storm Aso Rock, the presidential villa, on October 1. The plotters allegedly gathered intelligence through insiders, including Zekeri Umoru, an electrician working at the villa. After seizing control, they planned to detain and assassinate Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The government reportedly learned of the plan, leading to arrests before the parade. Vehicles, including SUVs, were allegedly procured to reach strategic locations. Of the 16 arrested officers, 14 were from the army, one from the navy, and one from the air force.
This trial offers a rare glimpse into a plot that, if successful, would have ended Nigeria's civilian rule that has held since 1999. With economic hardship and growing discontent, the case underscores the fragility of stability in a region where coups have become common.