In a revelation that has sent shockwaves through the country’s political landscape, details have finally emerged regarding a high-stakes intelligence operation that thwarted a deadly plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The covert sweep, coordinated by the Army Headquarters and the State Security Service (SSS), reportedly neutralized a scheme that included the planned assassination of the President and other top-ranking officials.
According to deep-seated sources who shared details with Reports, the conspiracy began to fall apart in late September 2025. A whistleblower within the military, fearing the consequences of remaining silent, reportedly approached the then Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, with a full disclosure of the treasonous plans. Around the same time, the SSS had independently picked up chatter regarding serving officers who were actively working to destabilize the government and terminate Nigeria’s democratic experiment.
The response from the nation’s security chiefs was immediate and unified. Director-General of the SSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, and Mr. Oluyede launched a discreet but massive joint operation. On September 30, 2025, while President Tinubu was on an official visit to Imo State, the security forces moved in. The operation resulted in the arrest of several military and civilian suspects, including the alleged masterminds. Following these arrests, the President was briefed on how close he had come to a violent deposition, a moment that reportedly led to the immediate and unprecedented cancellation of the October 1st Independence Day parade.
Reports has learned that the investigation, led by General Emmanuel Undiandeye, uncovered a terrifying hit list. The conspirators allegedly planned to simultaneously assassinate President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. To pull this off, they relied on informants embedded within the Presidential Villa who monitored the precise movements of their targets. While senior military leaders were to be detained rather than killed, the political leadership was marked for elimination to pave the way for a military junta.
In the aftermath of the foiled plot, President Tinubu carried out a major shake-up of the military command, retiring the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and other service chiefs. Olufemi Oluyede was subsequently promoted to General and appointed as the new Chief of Defence Staff. Interestingly, General Musa has since returned to the fold in a civilian capacity as the Minister of Defence.
While the military initially downplayed the arrests in October 2025, describing them as routine disciplinary actions for “career stagnation” and “promotion grievances,” the veil of secrecy was officially lifted on January 26. The Defence Headquarters publicly acknowledged that the investigation had confirmed allegations of a plot to overthrow the government. Those indicted are now set to face a military judicial panel to answer for conduct described as a complete betrayal of the professional standards and ethics of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
