BREAKING NEWS: Nigerian Army Raids Ex-Minister Timipre Sylva’s Abuja Home Over Alleged Coup Plot, Brother Arrested As DIA Expands Investigation Into Military Officers’ Detention

In a dramatic escalation of events surrounding the ongoing investigation into an alleged coup plot, armed personnel of the Nigerian Army have reportedly stormed the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, in connection with what security officials describe as a “credible intelligence-led operation” coordinated by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

According to multiple top security sources, the operation was executed in the early hours of Tuesday at Sylva’s highbrow Maitama residence in Abuja by a special military team under the directive of senior intelligence officials.

Sources confirmed that the raid was prompted by intelligence reports allegedly linking Chief Sylva to a series of “clandestine meetings” with some detained senior military officers currently under investigation for plotting to overthrow the government.

A top security source familiar with the development revealed that the operation was not limited to Abuja but also extended to Sylva’s Bayelsa residence, where his younger brother, identified as Paga Sylva, was reportedly apprehended.

“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,” the source disclosed.

Further confirming the incident, another senior security insider told reporters that although no official statement had been issued by the military or the DIA, the operation was far from a random exercise. It was said to have been based on “credible intelligence linking certain political figures to the alleged plotters.”

The shocking development comes amid mounting tension within the Armed Forces, following reports that at least 16 senior officers drawn from the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force are currently in DIA custody over the same alleged coup plot.

According to findings, the detained officers have been held incommunicado for more than three weeks at a classified facility in Abuja, with no contact permitted with their families. Some relatives, unaware of the detention, initially believed their loved ones had been kidnapped.

“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 member recounted.

Meanwhile, security analysts have raised concerns over the unusual involvement of the DIA in the probe, noting that disciplinary or internal security investigations involving military officers are typically handled by the respective service arms, the Army, Navy, or Air Force.

“If the military were truly conducting a disciplinary operation, over 10,000 cases could emerge. Why only 16 officers, and why hand them to the DIA?” a retired senior officer queried. Added that “This smells of politics. There’s clearly more going on behind the scenes.”

Observers believe the unfolding situation may have deeper political undertones, with fingers pointing toward figures linked to the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chief Timipre Sylva, a close ally of the late former President, served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources between 2019 and 2023 and was the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 2023 Bayelsa State election, which he lost to the incumbent Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigerian Army, Defence Headquarters, nor the Defence Intelligence Agency has issued any official statement regarding the raid, the alleged coup link, or the whereabouts of Chief Timipre Sylva.

However, the high-profile nature of the ongoing investigation and the personalities allegedly involved suggest that the story is far from over, as Nigerians and the international community watch closely for official confirmation and further developments.