Armed soldiers from the Nigerian Army have reportedly raided the Abuja home of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, following allegations linking him to an ongoing coup plot investigation by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Multiple security sources revealed that the operation was conducted by a special military task force in the early hours of Tuesday at Sylva’s residence in the Maitama district of Abuja.
According to insider reports, the raid was prompted by intelligence suggesting that Sylva held a series of clandestine meetings with some detained military officers accused of planning to overthrow the government.
A senior security official familiar with the situation disclosed that the operation also extended to Sylva’s Bayelsa residence, where his brother, identified as Paga, was taken into custody.
“The military team searched Timipre Sylva’s home after receiving reports that he had gone into hiding outside the country. His brother, Paga, was arrested during the operation,” the source stated.
While the Nigerian Army has yet to release an official statement, another source confirmed to newsmen that the raid was based on “credible intelligence” linking certain political figures to the alleged coup plotters.
This development comes amid growing unease within the Armed Forces after revelations that 16 senior officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force have been detained by the DIA in connection with the same case.
Reports indicate that the detained officers have been held incommunicado for more than three weeks at an undisclosed facility in Abuja. Family members of some of the officers initially believed they had been kidnapped due to the lack of communication from military authorities.
“It’s been 18 days since our brother was taken. We only found out about his detention through a friend at the NSA office,” one family member said.
Security experts have raised questions about the DIA’s involvement, pointing out that disciplinary investigations are typically managed within the respective military branches. Some analysts suggest the situation could have political motivations.
“If this were a routine military probe, there would be thousands of such cases. The selective arrests and DIA’s role indicate political interference,” a retired officer observed.
There is growing speculation that the alleged coup plot and the arrests may be tied to political figures associated with the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Sylva, a close ally of the late former president, served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources between 2019 and 2023. He was also the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 2023 Bayelsa governorship election, which he lost to the incumbent, Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
As of press time, both the Nigerian Army and Defence Headquarters have remained silent on the raid and the current whereabouts of Timipre Sylva.
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