By Obinna Uballa
Mohammed Ma’aji, the army colonel accused of coordinating the recently foiled plot to topple Nigeria’s democratic government, once served as security adviser to former Bayelsa State governor and ex-minister of state for petroleum resources, Timi Sylva, during the 2015 governorship election, TheCable has reported.
Investigators, who regard Ma’aji as a key figure in the alleged coup attempt, have reportedly searched Sylva’s residences in Abuja. The former minister’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
Sylva’s media aide, Julius Bokoru, has, however, dismissed any link between his principal and the alleged plot, describing the former governor as “an unrepentant and thoroughbred democrat” who remains a loyal supporter of President Bola Tinubu.
Ma’aji, described as being “very close” to Sylva, coordinated security operations for the ex-governor during the December 5, 2015 governorship poll in Bayelsa, where Sylva, running on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured 86,852 votes but lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Seriake Dickson, who polled 134,998 votes.
Sylva had earlier governed Bayelsa between 2007 and 2012 under the PDP. His initial election was nullified in 2008, prompting a rerun which he won. However, he was denied a second-term ticket by the party, paving the way for Dickson’s emergence.
Although investigators are yet to confirm whether Ma’aji was the mastermind of the failed coup, TheCable reports that he is believed to have played a central role, allegedly overseeing recruitment of junior officers, and reportedly providing funds and logistics for the operation, fuelling suspicion that the conspiracy may have enjoyed political backing.
Ma’aji, who has extensive operational experience in the Niger Delta, is said to have refused to cooperate with the military’s special investigative panel, opting to remain silent despite “significant statements” already made by his subordinates, the report said.
Forensic investigations have been carried out on Ma’aji and his wife, while their Abuja residence was searched. Military sources disclosed that investigators have uncovered substantial information about their bank accounts and property holdings.
Who is Mohammed Ma’aji?
Ma’aji, an indigene of Niger State, was born in 1976 to Nupe parents. He attended the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as part of Regular Course 47 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 2000.
He rose through the ranks to become a colonel in 2017 after completing the Policy, Strategy and Leadership Course (PSLC) at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, where he was president of Course 21.
Over his career, Ma’aji commanded the 19 Battalion in Okitipupa, Ondo State, before being posted to Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area in Delta State, in 2017. In January 2021, he was appointed commanding officer of Operation Delta Safe, following his transfer from the Depot, Nigerian Army, Zaria.
Military authorities are continuing investigations to unravel the extent of Ma’aji’s involvement in the alleged coup and to identify any civilian collaborators behind the purported plot.
