Joe Igbokwe, a long-time ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) has released the photo of a Nigerian Army officer he claims to be the leader of the alleged coup plot aborted by the country’s security agencies.

Igbokwe released the photo of the officer, whom he identified as Brigadier-General Musa Abubakar, but whose name tag reads MA Ma’aji, on his Facebook Page yesterday, Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

Along with the photo, Igbokwe, a vocal chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), wrote: “I hear that this is the face of the man who led the coup against PBAT. He will collect well well. Some people think PBAT is joking. No sir. He is here to rework, retool, rejig, reposition, refix, rewind and reinstall Nigeria. What you sow you reap. So some people think PBAT na their mate abi? May thunder fire the devil a trillion times.”

However, Ma’aji, whom Igbokwe referred toas a brigadier-general, is officially listed as a colonel.

Though it has refrained from using the words “coup plot”, the Defence Headquarters on Monday announced that military personnel undergoing investigation since last year and subsequently indicted for acts of misconduct would soon be arraigned before an appropriate military judicial panel.

The 16 officers reported to be in custody are Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Ma’aji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A.A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M.A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A.A. Yusuf, Lt S.S. Felix, Lt Cdr D.B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S.B. Adamu, and Maj I. Dauda.

Officers being awaited, according to military investigators, are Maj J.M. Ganaks and Capt G. Binuga.

The foiled coup was allegedly set for October 25, 2025, and was planned to be fatal, with the President, Vice President Kashim Shettima, ministers, service chiefs, and other notable government officials marked for elimination.

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