Alleged Coup: DSS Arrests Five Associates Of Sylva

No fewer than five people working closely with a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, have been arraigned by the Department of State Service (DSS).

They were arraigned for allegedly concealing information regarding the whereabouts of their principal who has been in hiding since when he was linked to an alleged coup plot.

Daily Trust reports that the Federal Government had filed a 13-count charge against seven of the civilians linked to an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

Six of the alleged coup plotters, who were investigated by both the Nigerian military and the Department of State Services, were accused of terrorising the citizens, and plotting to sack a democratic government.

The charges filed against them border on treasonable felony, conspiracy to overthrow the government, conspiracy to commit terrorism and other offences related to national security threats.

Sylva, who was governor of Bayelsa State, was said to be the seventh person that had been on the run since April when others were charged to court and he was being tried in absentia before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Those who are being tried for alleged coup plot include a retired Major-General, Mohammed Ibrahim Gana; a retired Navy Captain, Victor Erasmus Ochegobia; a serving police Inspector, Ahmed Ibrahim; and Sylva.

Others include: Zekeri Umoru; Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani while serving military officers among them are currently undergoing court-martial.

Giving an update on the matter anonymously, a highly-placed source within security agencies explained that five of his staff, who are also his close allies, have been probed and they would also be arraigned.

The source explained that their offence may be more grevious than their principal’s over their failure to disclose his whereabouts and other information that could lead to his arrest.

“They have failed to cooperate with investigators. That means they are also accomplices, they are collaborators in this undemocratic stance. They will have their day in Court soon,” one of the sources told Daily Trust.