A special military team is alleged to have stormed the residences of former Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva at Maitama in Abuja.Reports credited to Businessday Newspaper on Wednesday said, several aides have been arrested, while another group raided his country home in Bayelsa, arresting his younger brother, Paga Sylva, who serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs and his driver.Security sources quoted in the reports claimed that, intelligence gathered by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) allegedly connected the former minister to series of secret meetings with some detained officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

At the time of the reported raids, Sylva, also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was said to been out of the country.Sources revealed, he had initially planned to return to Nigeria but allegedly changed his travel protocols upon learning of the arrests of several military personnel.In a related development, fresh reports indicate that security agencies are interrogating the Managing Director of a Federal Government agency in the South-South region for alleged financial links to the coup probe.

Two top intelligence officials reportedly confirmed that the agency chief was arrested for allegedly transferring a large sum of money to Sylva.“The MD transferred a huge amount to Sylva. Investigators are working on the theory that the funds were connected to the coup. He is currently being questioned on what the money was meant for,” a senior intelligence source was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, a lot of concerns have been expressed over the Defence Headquarters’ handling of the situation saying, the arrests might have deeper political undertones.“If this were a genuine disciplinary operation, there would be thousands of cases. Why only sixteen officers and why hand them to the DIA? This smells of politics,” the source said.Contrary to the military’s public denial of a coup plot, some reports claim that the detained officers, whose ranks reportedly range from Captain to Brigadier General are being held by the DIA for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government.“The 16 officers were planning a coup. The authorities are only being diplomatic in their public statements,” an unnamed official was quoted as saying.

As of press time, the Defence Headquarters had not issued any official statement addressing the alleged raids on Sylva’s properties or the interrogation of the agency chief, amid allegations linking the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Sylva to a suspected coup plot.