Military uncovers ₦45bn NDDC transactions linked to alleged Coup probe
A military investigation into the alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration has reportedly traced ₦45 billion in suspicious transactions from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to several politically exposed persons and some of the soldiers detained in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
Earlier this month, Sahara Reporters revealed that 16 Nigerian Army officers were being held for allegedly planning to overthrow the government. However, the Defence Headquarters swiftly dismissed the claim, stating that the detained officers were being investigated for “professional misconduct” and not for any coup-related activities.
Fresh reports on Tuesday indicated that Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) operatives raided the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, as part of ongoing investigations. Following the raid, investigators questioned senior NDDC officials over the source, purpose, and beneficiaries of the disbursed ₦45 billion.
Security sources confirmed that the DIA’s probe had uncovered links between the funds and a shoreline project valued at ₦45 billion allegedly awarded to a former South-South governor. Portions of the project funds were reportedly traced to accounts associated with some detained military officers.
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The development has triggered unease within the NDDC headquarters, as insiders fear the probe could expand into a broader audit of the commission’s financial dealings. “Since the news broke about the interrogation of top officials, the atmosphere here has been tense. Many directors are being cautious about their movements and communications,” a senior NDDC official told The PUNCH.
When contacted, NDDC spokesperson Seledi Thompson-Wakama declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, Sylva’s media aide, Chief Julius Bokoru, denied his principal’s involvement in any coup plot, describing the allegations as “the handiwork of desperate politicians eyeing the 2027 elections.” He confirmed that Sylva’s Abuja home was raided by military operatives, who arrested his younger brother, Paga, and his driver, both of whom remain in custody.
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Bokoru explained that Sylva and his wife were abroad at the time—Sylva for medical checks in the United Kingdom, after which he was scheduled to attend a professional conference in Malaysia. He added that the operatives did not remove any items during the raid, though parts of the residence were reportedly damaged.
In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight on Recent False Reports about Sylva,” Bokoru reiterated that Sylva, a staunch supporter of President Tinubu, had “no involvement whatsoever—either in planning or logistics—with any coup.”
The Defence Headquarters also restated that there was no credible evidence of any plot to topple the government, describing the reports as “false, misleading, and malicious.”
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As the DIA’s probe continues, senior officials within the NDDC remain on edge amid fears that the investigation could uncover deeper layers of financial impropriety within the intervention agency
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