Armed personnel of the Nigerian Army have reportedly stormed the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.
According to multiple security sources, the operation was carried out by a special military team in the early hours of Tuesday at Sylva’s residence in Maitama over an alleged link to a coup plot under investigation by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
It was gathered that the raid followed intelligence reports linking the former governor to secret meetings allegedly held with some military officers accused of “plotting to overthrow the government.”
A top security source disclosed that the operation extended to Sylva’s Bayelsa home, where his brother, identified as Paga, was arrested.
“The Nigerian Army special team ransacked the home of Timipre Sylva, who is believed to have fled Nigeria. He is the South-South former governor frequently mentioned in the case. His brother, Paga, was picked up during the raid,” the source revealed.
Another security insider confirmed the raid followed “credible intelligence linking certain political figures to the alleged plotters.”
This development comes as at least 16 senior military officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force are reportedly being detained by the DIA in connection with the same plot.
The officers have allegedly been held incommunicado for over three weeks.
“It’s been 18 days since those 16 officers were detained in an undisclosed location. At first, we thought our brother was kidnapped before finding out what transpired from his friend who works in the NSA office,” a family member said.
Security analysts have expressed concern over the DIA’s central role in the probe, with some describing the situation as politically motivated.
“If the military were truly conducting a disciplinary operation, over 10,000 cases could emerge. Why only 16 officers, and why hand them to the DIA?” a retired senior officer questioned. “This smells of politics. There’s clearly more going on behind the scenes.”
Sylva served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources from 2019 to 2023 and was the APC governorship candidate in the November 2023 Bayelsa election.
As of press time, neither the Nigerian Army nor the Defence Headquarters had issued an official statement on the raid.
