Ex-General and Son Detained for Alleged Coup Attempt Against Tinubu Government

A retired Army General, Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, has been arrested alongside serving military officers and civilians accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Gana, a Niger State indigene and the Danmagayaki of Nupe, was reportedly arrested about a week after his son, Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Ibrahim-Gana, was detained by military intelligence operatives.

The officer, who was the Commanding Officer of the 115 Battalion in Askira, Borno State, is among the 35 military personnel currently in detention over the alleged coup plot.

According to military sources, the retired general is believed to have close ties with Colonel Alhassan Ma’aji, described by investigators as the alleged mastermind of the foiled plot.

“A retired Army General, Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, was arrested. He is said to be the one who helped the alleged mastermind of the coup, Colonel Alhassan Ma’aji, gain admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy in August 1995,” a military source told SaharaReporters.

The source added that although no direct role was traced to the retired officer beyond his relationship with Ma’aji, investigators believed he may have been aware of the plot.

The same source said Lt. Col. Ibrahim-Gana was arrested despite being actively deployed against insurgents in the North-East.

“Nothing was traced to him as well, as he was busy fighting Boko Haram in Borno, but they still believed he had a link with the coup plotters,” the source said.

The crackdown has also swept up several civilians, including mechanics accused of repairing vehicles allegedly used by the plotters.

“We even have mechanics picked up for allegedly repairing some vehicles. A Julius Berger staff was also arrested. Many innocent people who know nothing about the issue are currently in detention,” the source alleged.

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that a policeman, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim from Taraba State, was arrested by operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja over the alleged coup plot.

Among the 35 military officers reportedly detained are: One Brigadier General, Two Colonels, Five Lieutenant Colonels, One Wing Commander, Eight Majors, One Navy Lieutenant Commander, Two Squadron Leaders, Five Captains, One Lieutenant

Also in detention are 10 non-commissioned officers, including a warrant officer, five sergeants, a corporal, and two lance corporals.

While most of the detainees are from northern states, sources said one Army Captain is from Osun State, and an Air Force Squadron Leader is from Bayelsa State.

The detentions have triggered concern among families of the suspects. SaharaReporters had earlier reported that at least five detained officers fell ill, with two collapsing while in custody.

Sources alleged that some detainees were transferred to an underground military facility in Abuja described as dark and poorly ventilated, while families complained of prolonged incommunicado detention and denial of access to lawyers.

Although the Defence Headquarters initially denied the existence of a coup plot when the arrests were first reported in October 2025, it has now formally acknowledged that allegations of plotting to overthrow the government were uncovered during investigations.

The DHQ said officers with cases to answer would be arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels.