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Profile Of The Sixteen Officers Detained For Alleged Coup Plot Revealed

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

As military investigators continue probing the foiled coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nigerian Tracker News has obtained details of the identities of 16 of the top military officers allegedly involved in the failed attempt.

Sources with details of the ongoing investigations earlier divulged that 14 of the 16 detained officers with regards to the coup plot are from the Nigerian Army. The remaining two, they said, are from the Navy and the Air Force

According to sources, 12 of the 14 army officers belong to the Infantry Corps, the army’s frontline combat unit whose troops primarily engage in ground battles. One officer is from the Signals Corps, which manages military communications, while another serves in the Ordnance Corps, responsible for procuring, storing, and maintaining weapons, ammunition, vehicles , and other essential hardware.

The army officers include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and a lieutenant. The remaining two are a lieutenant commander from the Navy, the naval equivalent of a major, and a squadron leader from the Air Force, which holds the exact rank equivalence.

Profile Of The Detained Officers Over Alleged Coup Plot

 

1.Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq
Born on 3 January 1974, Mr Sadiq is a brigadier general with service number N/10321, trained as an NDA cadet between 14 August 1992 and 20 September 1997. He is suspected to be the leader of the coup plot.

As a member of Regular Course 44, Mr Sadiq, an indigene of Nasarawa State, rose through the ranks, becoming a colonel in 2015 and a brigadier four years later. He belongs to the infantry corps.

This is not the first time Mr Sadiq has made headlines for alleged gross misconduct. In October 2024, he was reportedly detained for “alleged diversion of rice palliatives, selling of military equipment, including generator sets and operational vehicles to scrap yards.” Among other postings, the officer served as Commander of the 3rd Brigade in Kano and Garrison Commander of the 81 Division of the Army in Lagos.

2. Colonel M.A. Ma’aji
Mr Ma’aji is a colonel with service number N/10668. Born on 1st March 1976, the Nupe native from Niger State started training on 18 August 1995 and finished on 16 September 2000. Investigators suspect he played the role of a key strategist for the coup plot.

A member of the infantry corps, Mr Ma’aji was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2013, becoming a full colonel four years later. The 49-year-old officer was the Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion of the Nigerian Army based in Okitipupa, Ondo State.

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He took part in Operation Crocodile Smile II, a Nigerian Army military exercise conducted in 2017 to address security challenges in the Niger Delta and parts of the South-west. He also served at Depot, Nigerian Army and later as Commander, Operation Delta Safe.

He was a member of the 47 Regular Course of the NDA.

3. Lt. Colonel S. Bappah
Mr Bappah, a member of the Nigerian Army Signals Corps, with service number N/13036, is from Bauchi State in North-East Nigeria. He was born on 21 June 1984.

The 41-year-old officer started his cadet training on 27 September 2004 and completed it on 4 October 2008.

He is a member of the 56 Regular Course of the NDA

4. Lt Colonel A.A. Hayatu
Mr Hayatu, now a lieutenant colonel with service number N/13038, hails from Kaduna State.

Born on 13 August 1983, he underwent his cadet training between 27 September 2004 and 04 October 2008.

5. P. Dangnap
Mr Dangnap is from Plateau State. He was born on 1 April 1986. In 2015, he was court-martialed alongside 29 others for offences related to the fight against Boko Haram.

The 39-year-old officer, with service number N/13025 began his cadet training on 27 September 2004 and completed it on 4 October 2008.

An infantry corps officer, Mr Dangnap is also a member of the 56 Regular Course of the NDA.

6. Lt. Colonel M. Almakura
A member of the 56 Regular Course, Mr Al Makura, a lieutenant colonel from Nasarawa State, was born on 18 March 1983.

The infantry corps officer with service number N/12983 trained as a cadet at the NDA from 27 September 2004 to 4 October 2008.

7. Major A. J Ibrahim
Mr Ibrahim, a major with service number N/13065, hails from Gombe State.

Born on 12 June 1987, the Infantry Corps officer trained between 27 September 2004 and 4 October 2008.

He was a member of the 56 Regular Course, and he became a captain in 2013

8. Major M.M. Jiddah
An indigene of Katsina State, Major Jiddah, was born on 9 July 1985.

He trained between 27 September 2004 and 4 October 2008.

Mr Jiddah is an infaArmy officer and a member of the 56 Regular Course. His service number is N/13003.

9. Major M.A. Usman
Mr Usman is a Nigerian Army major with service number N/15404.

He was born on 1 April 1989. He hails from the Federal Capital Territory, in North-central Nigeria.

A member of the 60th Regular Course, the infantry officer trained as a cadet at the NDA between 16 August 2008 and 14 September 2012.

10. Major D. Yusuf
Mr Yusuf, a major with service number N/14753, is a member of the Ordnance Corps.

He was born on 26 May 1988. As a member of the 59th Regular Course, Mr Yusuf trained at NDA between 7 July 2007 and 8 September 2012.

11. Major I. Dauda
Mr Dauda joined the army through the Direct Short Service Commissions.

Born on 26 November 1983, the infantry officer with service number N/13625, trained between 5 June 2009 and 27 March 2010.

Mr Dauda, who hails from Jigawa, is a member of Short Service Commission Course 38. The officer hails from Gombe State.

 

12. Captain Ibrahim Bello
Mr Bello is a captain with service number N/16266. He was born on 28 July 1987. He is a member of the Direct Short Service Commission Course 43.

13. Captain A.A Yusuf
He is an army captain with service number N/16724.

14. Lieutenant S.S Felix
A lieutenant with service number N/18105

15. Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi
He is a Nigerian Navy personnel with service number NN/3289.

16. Squandron Leader S. B Adamu
An Air Force squadron leader with service number NAF/3481.

The listed officers are currently undergoing thorough investigation.

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Mahanga TV appoints former AREWA24 staff Zuwairiyah Girei as MD

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Mahanga TV, a Kano-based television station, has appointed former AREWA24 staff member Zuwairiyah Adamu Girei as its new Managing Director, bringing her more than 14 years of experience in Hausa-language television production and broadcasting to the organisation.

Girei was formally welcomed into her new role during a reception held at Mahanga TV’s premises in Kano on Monday, November 2, 2026, marking a new phase in the organisation’s growthe barely three months after its launch.

Speaking at the reception, Girei expressed excitement over her appointment, describing her experience at AREWA24 as a significant milestone in her professional journey.

She said she would draw on the knowledge and experience acquired during her time at the television station to strengthen Mahanga TV and drive it towards greater achievements.

“All the experience I have at AREWA24, I will bring here, and I think I will do extraordinary because I know what I have learnt there. I pray that we will see success beyond our expectations,” she said.

Outlining her vision for Mahanga TV, the new Managing Director said the organisation would look beyond Northern Nigeria and target audiences across Africa and the rest of the world.

She identified the large Hausa-speaking population as a major opportunity for the industry, noting that despite the challenges facing Hausa-language broadcasting, the sector has a substantial audience.

“We have over 60 million Hausa speakers in Nigeria, so I think we have a target audience we have to try to reach,” she said.

Girei said her leadership would focus on understanding audience expectations, introducing improvements and positioning Hausa productions for international recognition.

“Our thinking is pan-African; our thinking is the world. Our thinking is now how can Hausa film reach the Oscars. That is the thinking,” she said.

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Looking ahead to the next decade, she expressed her ambition to see Mahanga TV secure three to four Academy Awards, earn international recognition and become a household name among viewers across different age groups.

She said she envisioned a future where Mahanga TV would be the preferred television platform in homes, with both adults and children identifying with its programmes.

The Chief Executive Officer of Mahanga TV, Nuhu Abdullahi Balarabe, said Girei’s appointment was informed by the organisation’s rapid growth and the need for experienced leadership to sustain its progress.

Balarabe explained that he initially served as both Managing Director and CEO but decided to appoint a dedicated Managing Director to oversee the organisation’s daily operations and provide the leadership required to sustain its expanding activities.

He said the organisation needed someone who could provide consistent leadership and maintain its momentum as it continued to grow.

“She is well experienced, and I’m sure she will use that experience to take the organisation further from where it is,” he said.

Balarabe disclosed that Mahanga TV had recorded progress beyond its initial expectations within three months of launching, attributing the achievement to the dedication of its staff, consultants and advisers.

He said the organisation was expanding its content offerings through original productions and partnerships with independent producers to provide audiences with engaging programmes.

He also urged viewers to continue supporting the station and sharing feedback through its social media platforms and WhatsApp channel, assuring them that the organisation remained open to suggestions as it worked to improve its services.

Reaffirming the organisation’s broader ambition, Balarabe said Mahanga TV was committed to ensuring that Hausa stories, culture and experiences reached audiences across the world.

“We have a beautiful tale happening in Northern Nigeria, and I believe it is only we that can tell our own story. We want to make sure all our stories are told and they reach every part of the world,” he said.

Also speaking, Mahanga TV’s Creative Director and Brand Manager, Abdulbasit Abanikanda, described Girei’s appointment as a timely development that would strengthen the organisation’s management structure and provide better direction for its expanding workforce.

Abanikanda recalled that Mahanga TV started with a team of just three people but had since grown considerably, making the appointment of an experienced manager necessary to coordinate its activities.

He expressed confidence in Girei’s ability to advance the station’s creative vision, noting that her ambition of taking Hausa stories to audiences across the world aligned with the organisation’s objectives.

With Girei’s appointment, Mahanga TV aims to consolidate its early progress, strengthen its content production and expand the reach of Hausa storytelling, creating opportunities for Northern Nigeria’s stories, culture and creative talent to gain wider national and international recognition.

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Kano Governor Nominates Ex- Speaker, Spokesperson as Commissioners

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Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has nominated his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, and a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Balarabe Sa’idu Gani, for appointment as commissioners.

The governor has forwarded their names to the Kano State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

The Assembly is expected to screen the nominees on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

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In a statement issued on Monday, the Assembly’s spokesperson, Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai, said the legislature had received a formal communication from Governor Yusuf requesting the screening of the two nominees.

He added that the exercise would be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Gani served as Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly from 2003 to 2007, while Bature currently serves as the governor’s spokesperson.

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2027: Rep Abubakar Kabir Bichi holds strategic meeting with Kano lawmakers

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The Chairman, House of representatives committee on appropriations Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, has convened a meeting of all APC State Assembly Members and 40 Candidates in the upcoming 2027 General elections, led by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jibril Ismail Falgore.

Crucial issues were discussed on how best to coordinate their campaigns programs to deliver the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

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The meeting was held at his Bichi office, Sunday evening 1st November 2026.

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