Teslink Media

30/10/2025

As military investigators continue probing the foiled coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, PREMIUM TIMES has exclusively obtained details of the identities of 16 of the top military officers allegedly involved in the failed attempt.

Sources with details of the ongoing investigations earlier told this medium that 14 of the 16 detained officers with regards to the coup plot are from the Nigerian Army. The remaining two, they said, are from the Navy and the Air Force.

According to our sources, 12 of the 14 army officers belong to the Infantry Corps, the army’s frontline combat unit whose troops primarily engage in ground battles. One officer is from the Signals Corps, which manages military communications, while another serves in the Ordnance Corps, responsible for procuring, storing, and maintaining weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and other essential hardware.

The army officers include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and a lieutenant. The remaining two are a lieutenant commander from the Navy, the naval equivalent of a major, and a squadron leader from the Air Force, which holds the exact rank equivalence.

The military and the Nigerian government have chosen to remain silent on the coup plot, with the Defence Headquarters only stating that it was not the reason for the low-key Independence Anniversary on 1 October.

Profiles of officers in detention over alleged coup plot
1.Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq
Born on 3 January 1974, Mr Sadiq is a brigadier general with service number N/10321, trained as an NDA cadet between 14 August 1992 and 20 September 1997. He is suspected to be the leader of the coup plot.

As a member of Regular Course 44, Mr Sadiq, an indigene of Nasarawa State, rose through the ranks, becoming a colonel in 2015 and a brigadier four years later. He belongs to the infantry corps.

This is not the first time Mr Sadiq has made headlines for alleged gross misconduct. In October 2024, he was reportedly detained for “alleged diversion of rice palliatives, selling of military equipment, including generator sets and operational vehicles to scrap yards.” Among other postings, the officer served as Commander of the 3rd Brigade in Kano and Garrison Commander of the 81 Division of the Army in Lagos.

2. Colonel M.A. Ma’aji
Mr Ma’aji is a colonel with service number N/10668. Born on 1st March 1976, the Nupe native from Niger State started training on 18 August 1995 and finished on 16 September 2000. Investigators suspect he played the role of a key strategist for the coup plot. PREMIUM TIMES has not been able to verify that claim.

A member of the infantry corps, Mr Ma’aji was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2013, becoming a full colonel four years later. The 49-year-old officer was the Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion of the Nigerian Army based in Okitipupa, Ondo State.

He took part in Operation Crocodile Smile II, a Nigerian Army military exercise conducted in 2017 to address security challenges in the Niger Delta and parts of the South-west. He also served at Depot, Nigerian Army and later as Commander, Operation Delta Safe.

He was a member of the 47 Regular Course of the NDA.

3. Lt. Colonel S. Bappah
Mr Bappah, a member of the Nigerian Army Signals Corps, with service number N/13036, is from Bauchi State in North-East Nigeria. He was born on 21 June 1984.

The 41-year-old officer started his cadet training on 27 September 2004 and completed it on 4 October 2008.

He is a member of the 56 Regular Course of the NDA

4. Lt Colonel A.A. Hayatu
Mr Hayatu, now a lieutenant colonel with service number N/13038, hails from Kaduna State.

Born on 13 August 1983, he underwent his cadet training between 27 September 2004 and 04 October 2008.

A member of the infantry corps, Mr Hayatu also belonged to the 56 Regular Course.

5. P. Dangnap
Mr Dangnap is from Plateau State. He was born on 1 April 1986. In 2015, he was court-martialed alongside 29 others for offences related to the fight against Boko Haram.

The 39-year-old officer, with service number N/13025 began his cadet training on 27 September 2004 and completed it on 4 October 2008.

An infantry corps officer, Mr Dangnap is also a member of the 56 Regular Course of the NDA.

6. Lt. Colonel M. Almakura
A member of the 56 Regular Course, Mr Al Makura, a lieutenant colonel from Nasarawa State, was born on 18 March 1983.

The infantry corps officer with service number N/12983 trained as a cadet at the NDA from 27 September 2004 to 4 October 2008.

7. Major A. J Ibrahim
Mr Ibrahim, a major with service number N/13065, hails from Gombe State.

Born on 12 June 1987, the Infantry Corps officer trained between 27 September 2004 and 4 October 2008.

He was a member of the 56 Regular Course, and he became a captain in 2013.

8. Major M.M. Jiddah
An indigene of Katsina State, Major Jiddah, was born on 9 July 1985.

He trained between 27 September 2004 and 4 October 2008.

Mr Jiddah is an infaArmy officer and a member of the 56 Regular Course.

His service number is N/13003.

9. Major M.A. Usman
Mr Usman is a Nigerian Army major with service number N/15404.

He was born on 1 April 1989. He hails from the Federal Capital Territory, in North-central Nigeria.

A member of the 60th Regular Course, the infantry officer trained as a cadet at the NDA between 16 August 2008 and 14 September 2012.

10. Major D. Yusuf
Mr Yusuf, a major with service number N/14753, is a member of the Ordnance Corps.

He was born on 26 May 1988. As a member of the 59th Regular Course, Mr Yusuf trained at NDA between 7 July 2007 and 8 September 2012.

The officer hails from Gombe State.

11. Major I. Dauda
Mr Dauda joined the army through the Direct Short Service Commissions.

Born on 26 November 1983, the infantry officer with service number N/13625, trained between 5 June 2009 and 27 March 2010.

Mr Dauda, who hails from Jigawa, is a member of Short Service Commission Course 38.

As of press time, details about the remaining five officers listed below are sketchy. They are also being detained for alleged involvement in the coup plot. Below is a little information about them:

12. Captain Ibrahim Bello
Mr Bello is a captain with service number N/16266. He was born on 28 July 1987. He is a member of the Direct Short Service Commission Course 43.

13. Captain A.A Yusuf
He is an army captain with service number N/16724.

14. Lieutenant S.S Felix
A lieutenant with service number N/18105.

15. Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi
He is a Nigerian Navy personnel with service number NN/3289.

16. Squandron Leader S. B Adamu
An Air Force squadron leader with service number NAF/3481.

27/10/2025

Paul Biya, who is 92 years old and has been the president of Cameroon since 1982, has been declared the winner of the presidential election. This victory allows him to begin his eighth consecutive term, extending his leadership until 2032.

Nigeria-Cameroon leaders in 42 years

1983–85
🇳🇬: Muhammadu Buhari
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

1985-93
🇳🇬: Ibrahim Babangida
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

1993
🇳🇬: Ernest Sonekan
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

1993–98
🇳🇬: Sani Abacha
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

1998-99
🇳🇬: Abdulsalami Abubakar
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

1999-07
🇳🇬: Olusegun Obasanjo
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

2007-10
🇳🇬: Umaru Yar’Adua
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

2010–15
🇳🇬: Goodluck Jonathan
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

2015–23
🇳🇬: Muhammadu Buhari
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

2023–25
🇳🇬: Bola Ahmed Tinubu
🇨🇲: Paul Biya

A 40-year-old Cameroonian has essentially been (s)electing one man in eight (s)election cycles, while his peer in Nigeria has witnessed regime change 10 times.

Cameroon should simply brand its form of democracy as "Constitutional Monarchy”.

24/10/2025

President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs.

This is “in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture,” a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, read Friday.

The statement is titled ‘Tinubu changes service chiefs.’

According to Dare, the President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff.

“The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu. Air Vice Marshall S.K Aneke is Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff. Chief of Defence Intelligence Major-General E.A.P Undiendeye retains his position.

“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expresses most profound appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and the other Service Chiefs for their patriotic service and dedicated leadership,” the statement further read.

Tinubu charged the newly appointed Service Chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them by further enhancing the professionalism, vigilance and comradeship that define Nigeria’s Armed Forces.

All appointments take immediate effect.

23/10/2025

Wike demands an end to Africa’s aid dependency, seeks home-grown solutions

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has urged African leaders to abandon the continent’s overreliance on foreign aid.

23/10/2025

Uduka Obaigbena, a Fine Art First Class, now a media tycoon appeared to have gone into exile. He once campaigned for Abacha. He once talked down on MKO on CNN during the June 12 Crisis.

Nduka Obaigbena, the chairman of ThisDay Media Group and Arise TV, is facing a debt dispute with First Bank of Nigeria. The bank claims Obaigbena's company, General Hydrocarbons Limited, owes $225.8 million. The debt stems from a loan facility granted to Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited in 2011, which was allegedly guaranteed by General Hydrocarbons.

*Key Points of the Debt Dispute:*

- *Loan Facility:* First Bank granted a $490 million loan to Atlantic Energy for oil well operations.

- *Guarantee:* General Hydrocarbons allegedly guaranteed the loan and defaulted on repayment.

- *Debt Accumulation:* The debt has accumulated to $225.8 million, prompting First Bank to seek court intervention.

- *Court Ruling:* A Federal High Court in Lagos granted a Mareva injunction, freezing assets and accounts linked to General Hydrocarbons and its directors, including Obaigbena.

*Obaigbena's Response:*

- *Dispute of Claims:* Obaigbena disputes the claims, alleging that First Bank failed to fulfil its obligations under the tripartite deed with the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

- *Allegations of Fund Diversion:* First Bank accuses Obaigbena's company of diverting funds, while Obaigbena claims the bank failed to pay pending requests, leading to an international incident involving a drilling rig.

- *International Incident:* The drilling rig, Blackford Dolphin, ran out of fuel, food, and water with 93 people on board, prompting GHL to secure supplies to prevent a crisis.

*Current Status:*

- *Court Proceedings:* The case is ongoing, with the court adjourning the matter to allow for further hearings.

- *Asset Freeze:* The Mareva injunction remains in place, freezing assets and accounts linked to General Hydrocarbons and its directors.

23/10/2025

VIDEO: Nnamdi Kanu defending himself at Federal High Court today after his legal team withdrew from the case.

08/10/2025

"Lagos belongs to the Enterprising"

- "I don't have a problem with a Chukwudi being Lagos Governor"

- "Govs of Lagos since 1999 aren't entrepreneurs but Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour is an Entrepreneurial candidate that understands Lagos"

-

05/10/2025

12/07/2025

Lagos LG polls: Igbos are disenfranchised from voting, voted for — Ohanaeze

The President of the socio-cultural group in Lagos State, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, has condemned the manner in which Igbos living in Lagos State are being disenfranchised and excluded from voting in the ongoing local government elections across the state.

Aguene also expressed displeasure over the denial of Igbo politicians the right to vote and be voted for during every election, alleging that there is no democracy in Lagos State.

He made this known while commenting on the conduct of the exercise at his Ikoyi, Lagos residence, on Saturday.

According to him, the denial of the Igbo from voting occurs in every cycle of elections in Lagos State.

He stated, “Do you know that the Igbo that are resident in Lagos state are denied the opportunity to vote? This is not just happening in this election; it occurs during every cycle of election. Igbo residents in the state are not given the opportunity to contest for local Government Chairmanship and councillorship positions. Despite our contribution to the economic and political growth of the state, we are being treated unfairly. There are one or two Igbo persons as Vice Chairmen of Local Governments.

“It is therefore safe to conclude that we don’t have democracy in Nigeria, because democracy promotes equity, justice and fairness. What we have is opportunists grabbing power and ruling. There is voter apathy in Lagos and Nigeria because Nigerians are tired of voting for opportunists.

“Igbos are the ones investing heavily in Lagos. They are supposed to be given the opportunity to hold some positions in the state. Governance in Nigeria is just for the few as many Nigerians are really suffering. The working class including journalists and security officers whose profession are essential cannot even work and shelter for their families. The situation in Nigeria is terrible.”

18/05/2025

Peter Obi is fulfilled for meeting President Bola Tinubu in Italy.

18/05/2025

What comes to your mind when you see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?