The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has released the full list of 16 officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria indicted by a Special Investigative Panel over allegations of serious misconduct, including an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, disclosed on Monday that the panel had concluded its investigation and found that the officers had cases to answer.
According to him, the affected personnel will be subjected to court-martial proceedings in line with military laws, established procedures and extant regulations.
Major General Uba said the investigation examined the conduct of the officers and identified actions deemed inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. He stressed that the exercise was a purely internal disciplinary process aimed at safeguarding discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness within the military.
“The process is not political. It is about upholding professionalism and maintaining the integrity of the Armed Forces,” he said.
List of Indicted Officers
The officers indicted by the panel include:
Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq (Nasarawa, 44th Regular Course)
Colonel M. A. Ma’aji (Niger, 47th Regular Course)
Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah (Bauchi, 56th Regular Course)
Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Hayatu (Kaduna, 56th Regular Course)
Lieutenant Colonel Dangnan (Plateau, 56th Regular Course)
Lieutenant Colonel M. Almakura (Nasarawa, 56th Regular Course)
Major A. J. Ibrahim (Gombe, 56th Regular Course)
Major M. M. Jiddah (Katsina, 56th Regular Course)
Major M. A. Usman (Federal Capital Territory, 60th Regular Course)
Major D. Yusuf (Gombe, 59th Regular Course)
Major I. Dauda (Jigawa, DSSC 38)
Captain I. Bello (DSSC 43)
Captain A. A. Yusuf
Lieutenant S. S. Felix (DSSC)
Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi (Nigerian Navy)
Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu (Nigerian Air Force)
Most of the officers are drawn from the Infantry, Signals and Ordnance Corps across the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Background
Rumours of an alleged coup plot against President Tinubu’s government first surfaced on social media in October 2025. At the time, the Defence Headquarters dismissed the claims as false and misleading, urging the public to ignore what it described as deliberate misinformation spread by enemies of the state.
However, following internal reviews and investigations, a Special Investigative Panel was constituted to examine the allegations. Its findings eventually led to the indictment of the 16 officers.
In the aftermath of the controversy, President Tinubu approved a reshuffle of the military high command as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture. A statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said the changes were aimed at enhancing effectiveness within the Armed Forces.
Under the new appointments, General Olufemi Oluyede replaced General Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff, while Major General W. Shaibu was named Chief of Army Staff.
The DHQ said further updates would be provided as the court-martial proceedings commence.
