A source revealed that the planned coup was intended to be extremely violent, noting that the planning had been underway for a long time and was designed to cripple Nigeria’s leadership structure completely.

The information emerges amid ongoing investigations into the arrest of 16 (now reportedly 42) military personnel accused of violating service regulations. While the Federal Government and DHQ had dismissed earlier reports of a coup as false, new intelligence obtained confirms the existence of a sophisticated plot.

Sources added that the coup plan was detected solely through DHQ’s internal counter-intelligence system without involvement from other security agencies. The suspects allegedly acquired vehicles and tactical equipment for covert movement and had secretly accessed sensitive government locations in preparation.

Investigators are also probing possible civilian collaborators, with forensic tracking of financial and communication records underway. Billions of naira have reportedly been traced to accounts linked to suspected political financiers backing the plot. Sources put the figure at N46 billion.

Contrary to public speculation, security officials confirmed that none of the detained officers were connected to the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Military insiders described the arrested individuals as disgruntled officers who had failed promotion exams or remained in the same postings for long periods, adding that their frustrations were exploited by political actors.

Security analysts noted that the suspected conspirators came from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, describing the alliance as unusual and driven solely by a shared motive to disrupt the democratic system.

One analyst said the coalition behind the plot disregarded Nigeria’s traditional ethnic and religious divides and was solely united by a plan to undermine democratic institutions.

The DHQ reaffirmed its commitment to upholding Nigeria’s democracy, stressing that the Armed Forces remain loyal to the Constitution and the President.

Security experts have praised the military’s swift and covert response to the threat, warning that although the attempt has been foiled, underlying grievances within the system should be addressed to avoid future threats.