Coup Series Round-Up: What we know about alleged failed plot against Tinubu

A recent 16-part investigative series by PREMIUM TIMES has shed new light on an alleged coup plot against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, offering the most detailed account to date. The series, spanning 17 days and drawing from approximately 7,400 pages of investigation records, aims to fill in the gaps left by initial, often scanty, official statements.

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Whether attempted, aborted or successful, coups are steeped in Nigeria’s history, leaving lasting impressions on its landscapes, and considerably shaping its trajectory.

Initially dismissed by some Nigerians as a ruse, the alleged plot resurfaced historical anxieties about military intervention in politics. The news first emerged in October 2025 following the arrest of military officers in late September. While the Defence Headquarters initially described the arrests as routine, they later acknowledged an investigation into a coup plot. Public details remained scarce until suspects were charged and trials began.

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From poring over the piles of documents and reporting them in the series, PREMIUM TIMES has endeavoured to provide details of the alleged conspiracy from the accounts of the participants, offering answers to some nagging questions those concerned about the plot have nursed for months.

The PREMIUM TIMES series meticulously chronicles events from the alleged plot's conception to its September collapse, based on statements, financial records, and other exhibits. It identifies Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji as the principal coordinator. His account suggests that repeated disappointment over failing to be promoted to brigadier general in 2023 and 2024 may have fueled his contemplation of overthrowing the government.

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He said the disappointment contributed to his decision to revive a movement to change the gov