Brigadier General Nicholas Ashinze, previously detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the #DasukiGate arms fund scandal, has emerged as a key figure in Nigeria’s ongoing probe into an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s government.
#DasukiGate, one of Nigeria’s largest corruption scandals, involved the alleged diversion of $2 billion intended for anti-Boko Haram operations under former National Security Adviser Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd.) to politicians and contractors. Ashinze, now Director of Fusion at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), is reportedly deeply involved in the investigative panel examining the alleged coup.
The panel, headed by Major General Y. Yahaya—currently commanding Operation Savannah Shield in Kwara State—includes other senior military officers such as Major General R.E. Hedima, Chief of Military Intelligence. Critics have raised concerns over the credibility and neutrality of the investigation given Ashinze’s past entanglement in a major corruption scandal.
Sources allege that the panel produced sensational claims, including reports of ₦12 billion found in Colonel M.A. Ma’aji’s account and the recruitment of snipers within the Presidential Villa. Civil society groups and families of detained officers have demanded a transparent, independent, and credible process free from political or personal manipulation.
Among the detained military personnel are one Brigadier General, two Colonels, five Lieutenant Colonels, eight Majors, one Wing Commander, two Squadron Leaders, five Captains, and ten non-commissioned officers, spanning states including Osun, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Niger, Kaduna, Plateau, Kano, Gombe, Bauchi, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Taraba, Yobe, Kogi, Sokoto, and Adamawa.
Reports indicate that some officers have fallen ill in custody, with at least two collapsing due to worsening conditions, and were allegedly transferred to a poorly ventilated underground military detention facility in Abuja.
The investigation has also drawn political attention, including the raid of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva’s residence, though he denied any involvement. Despite initial denials, the Defence Headquarters later acknowledged that allegations of plotting a coup were among the findings against some detained officers.
The case remains a critical test for accountability, transparency, and public trust in Nigeria’s military and security institutions.
