An air force officer recently deployed to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was allegedly designated to assassinate Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), in the foiled coup plot, sources close to the investigation have revealed.

Identified as Squadron Leader SB Adamu, with service number NAF/3481 and from Jigawa state, the officer was posted to the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) just four weeks before the alleged coup was disrupted. The NCTC operates under the coordination of ONSA.

Investigators say Adamu was the only suspect directly linked to ONSA among those currently being interrogated, contradicting earlier reports that multiple officers in custody worked within the NSA’s office.

According to military insiders, Major General Adamu Garba Laka — the National Coordinator of the NCTC — had requested a specific officer be deployed to the centre in August 2025. However, his request was not approved, and Squadron Leader Adamu was instead posted there, raising concerns that coup planners may have penetrated the military hierarchy.

Adamu is a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course 59. His posting and alleged mission are now central to security probes examining how deeply the suspected network reached into key national security structures.

His deployment came shortly before President Bola Tinubu dismissed two service chiefs, including former Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, in what sources describe as a sweeping leadership shake-up.

Security sources allege that the officer was specifically tasked with eliminating Ribadu, while other members of the suspected ring were assigned to target additional senior officials as part of a coordinated plan to dismantle the nation’s leadership.

Investigators say Adamu is cooperating with authorities and has provided critical insight into the plot and the roles assigned to various officers.

Although reports of a coup attempt have circulated widely, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has yet to officially acknowledge the plot. In response to media coverage, DHQ issued a statement describing the detention and questioning of 16 officers as part of routine internal disciplinary processes.

Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, said findings from the inquiry would be made public once concluded, but did not confirm any coup-related motive.

Despite this, more names and identities of detained officers continue to emerge across media reports, as investigators intensify scrutiny of the alleged network and its objectives.

Credit: TheCable

Two military officers have reportedly fled Nigeria after being linked to an alleged plot to overthrow the government and dismantle democratic institutions, TheCable has learnt.

The escape comes as the military continues to intensify its crackdown on alleged conspirators, following the initial detention of 16 officers in the first week of October.

According to TheCable, Sources familiar with the investigation said that authorities had identified 18 officers for arrest in connection with the plan, but two escaped before they could be apprehended.

One of the officers on the run has been identified as Major JM Ganaks, with service number N/14363, from the federal capital territory (FCT). Military insiders said he belongs to Regular Course 58 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and was stationed in Jaji, Kaduna state.

Also declared wanted is Captain G. Binuga, with service number N/167722, who hails from Taraba state. Binuga is listed under Regular Course 64 and was serving at DHQ SOF in Bida, Niger state.

According to security sources, statements obtained from some of the detained officers have been instrumental in making additional arrests. It is estimated that more than 30 officers are now in custody, with investigators pursuing further leads.

While some suspects are said to be refusing to cooperate, several others have reportedly provided “useful information” to authorities handling the probe. Contrary to speculation circulating across various platforms, the alleged coup was not scheduled for October 1; rather, arrests only began during the early days of the month.

The military has yet to officially acknowledge a coup attempt. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) recently insisted that the ongoing detention and interrogation of 16 officers is part of a “routine internal process aimed at ensuring discipline and professionalism within the ranks.”

The investigation, however, continues to unfold as security agencies track down remaining suspects believed to be connected to the foiled plot.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has accused the federal government of deliberately withholding local government allocations meant for the state due to political differences.

Speaking through his deputy, Kola Adeusi, at a two-day Southwest Summit on Democracy and Federalism in Ondo State, Adeleke said Osun has been subjected to “politically-motivated marginalisation” by the federal authorities since he assumed office in 2022.

He alleged that funds designated for local government administration in the state were seized without legal justification, describing the situation as a violation of constitutional provisions on financial autonomy and inter-governmental cooperation.

“There is an ongoing wilful breach of the constitution to deprive a sub-national entity of its due rights simply because it does not belong to the same party with the ruling party at the centre,” Adeleke said.

The governor claimed that several federal programmes and projects intended for Osun have been rerouted through political party structures rather than official state institutions, adding that the development has weakened governance delivery at the grassroots level.

Adeleke further alleged that some political actors in Abuja have frustrated efforts to rehabilitate federal roads and revive abandoned federal projects within the state. He also accused federal security agencies of shielding members of the ruling party in cases of alleged misconduct, while using security institutions to intimidate officials of the state government.

“In Osun today, federal party officials boast of powers to deploy security apparatus to witch-hunt state officials,” he said.

Despite the challenges, the governor said his administration has recorded improvements across key sectors including health, education, and debt management. According to him, Osun now ranks highest in the Southwest in access to primary healthcare and has reduced its debt burden by more than 40 percent.

He called on leaders in the Southwest to prioritise regional development over partisan rivalry, advocating for a circular cargo railway, development of dry ports, and stronger support for the regional security outfit, Amotekun.

“The south-west must elevate power applications beyond partisan considerations,” he said. “We must never deploy federal power against ourselves, no matter our political differences.”