Ribadu was among those marked for el!mination during the alleged coup plot.

Ribadu was among those marked for elimination during the alleged coup plot.

An Air Force officer recently posted to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), led by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was reportedly assigned to assassinate Ribadu, according to sources who spoke to TheCable.

SB Adamu, a Squadron Leader with service number NAF/3481 from Jigawa State, was posted to the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) — a program coordinated by ONSA — four weeks before the alleged coup plot was uncovered.

Conflicting reports indicate that, contrary to claims that many of the suspects were working directly with ONSA, Adamu was the only one directly connected to the office through the NCTC.

The NCTC is one of the programs overseen by the NSA.

Military sources told TheCable that when Major General Adamu Garba Laka, the National Coordinator of NCTC, requested that a specific officer be posted to the center in August 2025, he was surprised when his request was denied.

Instead, Adamu was posted to the office, which is now fueling speculation that the alleged coup plotters may have infiltrated the upper ranks of the military hierarchy.

Adamu is a member of Regular Course 59 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

President Bola Tinubu recently carried out a shake-up, removing two of his service chiefs, including Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar.

It was reported that the Squadron Leader was specifically assigned to “eliminate” Ribadu — just as some other officers were allegedly tasked with killing other top government officials — according to TheCable’s sources.

He is said to be cooperating with investigators.

So far, there has been no official confirmation from the military authorities regarding the alleged coup plot.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), in a statement released after Sahara Reporters broke the story, said the ongoing investigation involving 16 officers “is part of an internal process aimed at addressing indiscipline and maintaining professionalism within the ranks.”

Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Director of Defence Information, stated that the findings of the investigation would be made public once concluded.

The report indicates that an Air Force officer named SB Adamu from Jigawa State was accused of plotting to assassinate NSA Nuhu Ribadu. It was learned that he was posted to the NCTC, which operates under ONSA, shortly before the alleged coup attempt was uncovered.

Investigations into the incident are still ongoing, as the Defence Headquarters continues probing the alleged coup plot within the military ranks.