By Coolnews.ng Staff Reporter | October 31, 2025
Fresh revelations have emerged from an ongoing military investigation linking a staggering ₦45 billion allegedly diverted from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to some detained Nigerian soldiers and politically exposed individuals.
According to highly placed military and intelligence sources, the funds were traced during a Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA)-led probe into alleged financial misconduct within the NDDC. The development reportedly coincides with the detention of 16 Nigerian Army officers over what was initially rumoured to be a coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
However, the Nigerian military has categorically denied any coup attempt, insisting that the detained officers are being investigated strictly for professional misconduct.
Sylva’s Residence Raided
As part of the broader probe, security operatives from the DIA reportedly raided the Abuja home of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva. During the operation, Sylva’s younger brother, Paga Sylva, who also serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, and his driver were arrested.
Sylva and his wife, Alanyingi, were said to be outside the country at the time of the raid. Sources said the search was connected to a suspected financial trail linking NDDC funds to accounts associated with military personnel and political actors.
₦45 Billion Under Scrutiny
Investigators are said to be focusing on how ₦45 billion was disbursed from NDDC accounts to several beneficiaries, including contractors and individuals with military and political ties. One of the projects reportedly under review is a South-South shoreline protection contract allegedly awarded to a former governor.
A senior security source told Coolnews.ng that the operation is “part of a broader intelligence-led effort to trace the movement of public funds that may have been diverted from developmental purposes.”
Within the NDDC, the probe has reportedly created tension among top officials, with several directors said to be exercising extreme caution in their movements and communications pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Sylva, Ogbuku Deny Involvement
Reacting to the reports, Sylva’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Julius Bokoru, dismissed the allegations as “the handiwork of desperate politicians eyeing the 2027 Bayelsa governorship election.”
Bokoru stated that the raid on Sylva’s residence caused property damage but yielded no incriminating evidence. He added that Sylva and his wife were abroad for medical and professional reasons at the time.
He also refuted any link between the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku—Sylva’s former Chief of Staff—and the ongoing probe. Ogbuku, according to Bokoru, “has neither been arrested nor questioned by any security agency.”
In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight on Recent False Reports About Sylva,” Bokoru reaffirmed Sylva’s loyalty to democratic governance and President Tinubu, stressing that the ex-minister “has no connection whatsoever with any coup or subversive activities.”
Military Maintains Its Stand
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has also reiterated that there was no coup attempt, describing the reports as “false, misleading, and malicious.”
According to Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, the 16 detained officers are facing internal disciplinary procedures relating only to professional misconduct and not political conspiracy.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains loyal to the Constitution and to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The public is advised to disregard fake news suggesting otherwise,” the statement read.
Background
Speculations about a coup plot surfaced earlier in October after the federal government abruptly cancelled events marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day anniversary. The military detentions that followed fueled widespread rumours of internal dissent.
However, with the unfolding NDDC fund trail, investigators appear to be widening the scope of inquiry—shifting focus from purely political motives to possible financial crimes with security implications.
As of press time, neither the NDDC nor the Defence Headquarters had provided official documents or evidence to confirm the ₦45 billion transfer allegations. The investigations remain ongoing.
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