Security agencies probing a sophisticated conspiracy to subvert the administration of President Bola Tinubu have identified two key individuals alleged to have funnelled N835 million to bankroll the failed putsch, PREMIUM TIMES can exclusively reveal.
The investigation, a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Army and the State Security Service (SSS), suggests that the funds were moved through private corporate entities to provide the logistical backbone for a violent takeover originally slated for the 2023 inauguration but reactivated in 2025.
At the centre of the financial allegations is the former Governor of Bayelsa State and erstwhile Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva. Investigators allege that Mr Sylva contributed the lion’s share of the war chest, totalling N785 million.
The funds were reportedly routed through Purple Waves Limited, an Abuja-based construction firm. While Mr Sylva does not appear as a director in Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) records, the company’s secretary, John Ebokpo, has been apprehended and remains in custody.
A visit to the firm’s Abuja headquarters revealed that the office has been shuttered for several months, coinciding with the wave of arrests targeting the alleged conspirators. Mr Sylva, described by intelligence sources as a “principal financier,” remains at large and has previously denied any involvement in the plot.
A second individual, Moses Zakwa, is accused of injecting N50 million into the operation via Clay Ring Services Limited, a Lagos-based property management firm. While Mr Zakwa is currently in detention, his precise background remains opaque, though a person of the same name was noted leading a peaceful protest in Lagos in 2014.
The financial architecture of the plot relied heavily on these two streams of capital. While Mr Sylva’s alleged contribution provided the bulk of the operational funding through the Abuja-based construction entity, Mr Zakwa’s secondary contribution through the Lagos property firm further bolstered the conspiracy’s liquidity. Both companies now face intense scrutiny as investigators trace the full extent of the “dark money” used to facilitate the alleged treason.
Details emerging from the Defence Headquarters suggest the conspiracy, allegedly masterminded by Colonel Alhassan Maaji, was chilling in its scope. The plotters reportedly marked the nation’s top leadership for assassination, including:
- President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
- The Service Chiefs and the Commander of the Guards Brigade.
The operational plan involved the seizure of the Presidential Villa, Niger Barracks, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. Security forces have already recovered a significant cache of hardware, including anti-aircraft guns, RPG bombs, and over 30 vehicles, including 32 Volkswagen Golf cars intended for covert movements.
The military high command has confirmed that the investigation is complete and has been forwarded to the “appropriate superior authority.” Key points of the current status include:
- 40 Suspects Detained: A mixture of senior military officers, a police officer, and civilians.
- Recovered Assets: All weapons are in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), while seized funds have been lodged with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
- Fleeing Suspects: Aside from Mr Sylva, retired Major General Adamu remains at large. One suspect has been tracked to a South American nation.
Authorities are now reportedly awaiting presidential approval to formally constitute a court-martial panel to try the military personnel involved for conduct described as “inconsistent with the ethics and professional standards” of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
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