Fresh details have emerged linking Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji, the alleged coordinator of the foiled coup plot, to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who remains under investigation after security operatives raided his Abuja residence.
Findings by TheCable revealed that Colonel Ma’aji, now in military custody, served as Security Adviser to Sylva during the 2015 Bayelsa State governorship election, which the former governor contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to sources familiar with the investigation, Ma’aji, who is described as being “very close” to Sylva, coordinated the security network for the APC campaign during the December 5, 2015, polls.
Sylva, the APC candidate, polled 86,852 votes, losing to Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 134,998 votes.
Sylva Denies Involvement In Coup Plot
Following reports of his alleged links to the plot, Sylva’s media aide, Julius Bokoru, issued a statement denying any wrongdoing by his principal.
“Chief Timipre Sylva is an unrepentant and thoroughbred democrat who has consistently supported President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s democratic institutions,” Bokoru stated.
He described the allegations as “mischievous and politically motivated,” insisting that the former Bayelsa governor had no connection to any attempt to undermine the government.
Investigators Trace Ma’aji’s Alleged Role In Plot
Military intelligence sources told TheCable that Colonel Ma’aji is believed to have played a central role in the alleged plot to destabilise the current administration.
Although investigators have yet to determine if he masterminded the operation, Ma’aji is accused of recruiting junior officers and coordinating logistics and funding for the network.
A senior source said, “His primary task appeared to be recruitment and coordination. There are also strong indications that he had access to funds beyond what could be explained by his service income.”
Investigators have reportedly conducted forensic searches on Ma’aji’s residence and that of his wife in Abuja, uncovering “substantial financial records and property documents.”
“A trove of information has been unearthed regarding his accounts, transactions, and multiple landed properties,” a military source disclosed.
Despite this, the colonel is said to have refused to cooperate with the special investigative panel, choosing instead to maintain silence while junior officers detained in connection with the case have made “significant statements.”
Who Is Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji?
Ma’aji, born in 1976 to Nupe parents, was a member of regular course 47 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
According to TheCable, he was commissioned in 2000 as a second lieutenant, rising through the ranks to become a colonel in 2017 after attending the Policy, Strategy and Leadership Course (PSLC) at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau state.
Ma’aji served as commanding officer (CO) of the 19 Battalion in Okitipupa, Ondo state, before being posted to Koko, headquarters of Warri North LGA, Delta state, in 2017.
In January 2021, he became the CO of Delta Safe following a transfer from the Depot, Nigerian Army, in Zaria.
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