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A source familiar with the investigation questioned the credibility of the alleged coup narrative, citing major inconsistencies and exaggerations in the figures and disclosures presented to the public. Early reports by several national dailies between 30 October and 2 November 2025 claimed that N11 billion and N45 billion were traced to accounts linked to the plot, including an NDDC-related account. However, the same source noted that Premium Times, in an exclusive report dated 31 January 2026, later stated that the amount involved was under N1 billion.
According to the source, this sharp reversal undermines the original narrative and suggests that the earlier figures and facts were deliberately exaggerated to drive sensational headlines and entrench a predetermined conclusion. The source questioned whether an amount below N1 billion could realistically finance a coup serious enough to halt an Independence Day parade and restrict the President’s public engagements for months.
The source also pointed to claims that the plotters had informants within the Presidential Villa and among top officials, including the Senate President, Speaker, ministers, and service chiefs. Despite the gravity of these allegations, no indictments, internal disciplinary actions, or identified security breaches have been made public. Apart from two peripheral Villa staff repeatedly mentioned in reports, no alleged informants have been formally named or charged.
Further inconsistencies were noted in the handling of suspects. One alleged conspirator was reportedly tracked to a country in South America, yet his identity was withheld for “security reasons,” even as other suspects were publicly named. The source argued that publicly identifying the region weakens that justification. A similar selective treatment, the source said, applies to the “nonexistent’ so-called key suspect and financier, Major General Adamu (Rtd.), whose name has been mentioned only sparingly.
The source added that the pattern of selective disclosure and shifting claims raises serious questions about motives, transparency, and consistency in a matter of national security importance.
Can hundreds of millions, 32 VW golf cars, and a handful of individuals realistically cover the logistics required to seize control of the Presidential Villa, Niger Barracks, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) Complex, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja? These locations are heavily fortified, protected by superior military assets, layered security, and large troop deployments. Additionally, how could they carry out simultaneous assassinations across multiple locations involving over thirty individuals, each of whom has multiple layers of trained protection?
The source concluded that the pattern of arrests, which includes both innocent individuals and true targets, may be part of a larger scheme to create a false narrative. This tactic could lead the public to perceive those still detained as guilty, especially after many have been released.
The source warned that efforts to push the matter into a closed military trial amount to an attempt to control both the process and the outcome. According to the source, calls for a secret trial or court-martial should be firmly resisted, as they fit neatly into what was described as a carefully managed narrative designed to avoid scrutiny. The source insisted that any trial must be open, with full access for families of the accused and their legal counsel, arguing that transparency is the only safeguard against abuse.
The source further alleged that senior military figures, specifically the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Gen. Emmanuel Akomaye Parker, are strongly opposed to an open trial. According to the source, this resistance stems not from security concerns but from a desire to prevent public examination.
