Army Raids Ex-Minister Timipre Sylva’s Abuja Residence Over Alleged Coup Plot — The Bureau News Nigeria News Today
By Safiyat Muhammed | The Bureau News
Multiple security sources have confirmed that Nigerian Army personnel raided the Abuja residence of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged coup plot being handled by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
According to reports obtained by The Bureau News, the operation was conducted by a special military team on Tuesday at Sylva’s Maitama home in Abuja, following intelligence that allegedly linked the former Bayelsa governor to secret meetings with some of the detained military officers.
Army Operatives Conduct Coordinated Raid
Sources told SaharaReporters that the “special military team” stormed the property in what they described as a targeted intelligence-driven raid. The former minister, reportedly out of the country at the time, was not found during the operation.
“Nigerian Army special team ransacked the home of Timipre Sylva, who is believed to have fled Nigeria,” a top security source said. “His brother, named Paga, was picked up during the raid. The operation also extended to his Bayelsa residence.”
Another senior security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the raid was “not random” but “a direct response to credible intelligence linking certain political figures to the detained officers.”
16 Military Officers Detained Over Alleged Coup Plot
The Bureau News gathered that the development comes amid tension within the armed forces, following reports that at least 16 senior military officers—drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force—have been detained by the DIA in connection with the same investigation.
According to family members, the detained officers have been held for over three weeks in an undisclosed Abuja location, with little to no official communication from military authorities regarding their status.
“It’s been 18 days since those 16 officers were detained in an undisclosed location. At first, we thought our brother had been kidnapped before finding out what transpired from a contact in the NSA office,” one relative was quoted as saying.
Analysts Question Political Undercurrents
Security analysts have expressed concern over the Defence Intelligence Agency’s direct involvement in the probe, describing it as unusual for an internal military matter. Traditionally, disciplinary cases within the armed forces are handled by the respective service commands rather than by the DIA.
“If the military were conducting a regular disciplinary operation, thousands of cases could emerge. Why only 16 officers—and why hand them over to the DIA?” one retired officer asked. “This appears political. There’s more happening behind the scenes.”
Political Context Surrounding the Raid
Speculation is mounting that the alleged coup investigation may have deeper political undertones involving former government officials. Timipre Sylva, a close ally of late President Mohammadu Buhari, served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources from 2019 to 2023. He was also the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 2023 Bayelsa election, which he lost to incumbent Governor Douye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
As of press time, the Nigerian Army and the Defence Headquarters had yet to issue official statements regarding the raid or the detained officers.