4 ex-militant leaders, former Amnesty boss under watch over alleged coup plot

As part of the on-going probe over alleged subversive activities within and outside the Nigerian military to topple the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, the intelligence community has extended its dragnets to a network of certain influential individuals in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The individuals, now coded as Persons of Specific Concern (PSC) in security circles, in a joint effort by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), include four ex-warlords who were in the forefront of the Niger Delta struggle leading to the proclamation of presidential amnesty by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

Three among the four were part of what was called the Big Five in the days of the proclamation of the Amnesty programme by the late President.

Two of them are said to be from Rivers State, one from Bayelsa, while the remaining one hails from Ondo State.

It was gathered that one of the arrested officers, who had commanded a battalion in Ondo State, had a long-standing relationship with one of the persons under watch.

Also under watch, according to a highly placed intelligence source, is a retired military officer from Rivers State, who once headed the Presidential Amnesty Office.

Security sources stated that the level of involvement of these persons is yet to be ascertained, but their attendance at three meetings in Kaduna, Minna, Niger, and another in Port Harcourt, with one of the arrested military officers, triggered covert intelligence on them.

“We cannot confirm yet that they are or were part of the subversive attempts. But when circumstantial events and traits are pitched together in situations like this, the needful has to be done as we are doing now.

“Mind you, no one is being accused; far from it. What is being done right now is to scrutinise their movements and meetings with those already giving useful information and cooperating with those in charge of the on-going probe.

“These persons who are currently coded Persons of Specific Concern are being profiled, and we are monitoring events around them. For instance, what could have prompted three meetings with one of the arrested officers?”

Another security source disclosed that these persons who were part of the Amnesty Programme and its lucrative outcome are now reportedly aggrieved that a multi-billion-naira federal government patronage in the oil-rich Niger Delta region was not split among leading ex-militant leaders but instead, given to a particular individual.

“They have tried and made frantic efforts to ensure that the said patronage is split among them, but the NSA’s office sees no wisdom in doing that as long as there are results.” (The Sun)