Foiled Coup Plot Puts Tinubu on Edge, Prompts Military Leadership Reshuffle
Foiled Coup Plot Puts Tinubu on Edge, Prompts Military Leadership Reshuffle
President Bola Tinubu last week replaced Nigeria’s military leadership in a single stroke after reports of a foiled coup plot unsettled Abuja.
General Olufemi Oluyede, formerly Chief of Army Staff, is now Chief of Defence Staff. Major-General W. Shaibu, Air Vice-Marshal S.K. Aneke, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas were named Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and Chief of Naval Staff respectively. Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye remains Chief of Defence Intelligence.
Independence Day Anniversary Turned into a Security Scare
The shake-up came on the heels of reports that a group of mid-level officers had been arrested for plotting to overthrow President Tinubu, who assumed office in 2023.
In an exclusive report, Sahara Reporters claimed 16 senior officers were detained over a planned coup timed for October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day.
Premium Times, citing security insiders, said the alleged plotters had planned to assassinate President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during the parade.
Two days before, Tinubu abruptly cancelled the ceremonial Independence Day parade.
PRNigeria quoted a security source who said, “The coup would have been bloody beyond imagination. The planning didn’t start this year. It wasn’t just about seizing power—it was a blueprint for mass elimination and the total paralysis of Nigeria’s leadership structure.”
Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters has dismissed the reports as “false” and “malicious,” insisting that the parade was cancelled because the president had foreign engagements and wanted the military to maintain focus on the fight against terrorism.
Military authorities claimed the 16 officers were detained for “indiscipline and breach of service regulations over perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations.”
The Defense Headquarters established an investigative panel to probe the allegations. A report claims the panel is tracking ₦45 billion (US$31 million) transferred from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to accounts of a former governor and some of the detained officers.
Also, the Presidency explained that the appointment of the new service chiefs was “to strengthen the national security architecture.”
Tinubu’s Appointments Rattle Old Power Blocs
According to Premium Times, 14 of the detainees are from the Nigerian Army, including one brigadier general, one colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and one lieutenant. The other two officers include a lieutenant commander from the Navy and a squadron leader from the Air Force, both equivalent to majors.
Fifteen of the 16 detained officers are from Nigeria’s North-Central, North-East, and North-West regions. Only one is from the South-West, the youngest lieutenant.
Sources who spoke to TruthNigeria say the tension reflects deeper frustrations among sections of the officer corps and elite northern political figures who feel increasingly marginalized under the Tinubu administration.
Under the past Muhammadu Buhari presidency, senior military leadership and key positions were dominated by officers from northern states. Under Tinubu, however, the pattern of northern domination has shifted.
The new Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Defence Intelligence, and Chief of Air Staff are from the South-West, North-Central, North-West, South-South, and South-East respectively.
Beyond the barracks, other senior government roles have shifted southwards. The offices of the Chief of Staff, ministers of finance, interior, and works are held by southern allies of the President.
Analysts say the rebalancing has stirred unease among northern elites who have long held influence in the upper ranks of both government and military.
“By reshuffling the top ranks, Tinubu is aiming to undercut narratives that he favors a single region or political bloc,” Victor Ogie, a political analyst, told TruthNigeria. “He is actively seeking support for a second term. So, in a way, you could say that the appointments were to build goodwill for his second term bid.”
West Africa’s Coup Wave Puts Tinubu on Alert
President Tinubu’s action comes as military coups sweep across West Africa, toppling governments in Mali (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023). The juntas later formed the “Alliance of Sahel States” and withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January.
As a two-time ECOWAS chairman, Tinubu has championed the bloc’s hard line against unconstitutional changes of government. His latest military shake-up appears to be an extension of that effort—an attempt to ensure Nigeria itself remains coup-proof.
“The new chiefs have one mandate, which is to calm the tension and close any loophole that opportunists might exploit to stage a coup,” said Ogie.
The Nigerian Senate has approved all appointments, and the newly confirmed service chiefs assumed duty immediately.
The new leadership of the Nigerian Army under Major-General W. Shaibu has already redeployed 60 major generals and 11 brigadier-generals, signalling an early effort to consolidate control within the army.
