Date Published: 01/27/10

Alleged Coup plot leader Gen Maina is Buhari's boy

...Military intensifies surveilance

Gen. Maina, alleged Coup plot leader

As the nation continues to drift without a President for over 60 days, there are strong indications that some top military officers of the northern stalk may have concluded plans to exploit the loop hole and seize power.

Pointblanknews had exclusively reported three weeks ago that some politicians close to sick President Umaru Yar’Adua, were on the verge of wooing some restless military officers with a whooping N10billion to topple the government. The whole plot is a grand scheme to ensure the Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, does not get power as acting President.

Pointblanknews also reported that some unscrupulous politicians had been meeting with some top military officers to fine tune the possibility of a military strike that would see the men in military fatigues hold power for between 3 and 6 months.

But is a swift reaction shortly after, Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau, had warned the rank and file to stay clear of the political impasse ‘ as they are best settled through constitutional means’

Very dependable security sources told pointblanknews on Wednesday that the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 rd Armored Division, Jos, Maj-Gen. Saleh Maina is believed to be the arrow head of the plot.

The Maina group, security sources reveal, plans to topple the government and hold power for at least 6 months. This time frame was set considering the fact that the comity of democratic nations led by the United States may refuse to recognize the Maina led government.

The group, it was gathered intend to the use the current political situation as a cover-up. "They intend to cause crisis in some selected hotbeds in the country and claim that the coup is based on the need to secure the country from break-up," a source who would not want to be named told Pointblanknews.com.

Another curious twist is the alleged role of the ANPP chieftain and ex military Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari. Top security sources hinted that Buhari who is believed to be a godfather of Maina, may have been penciled down to take power through the ballot box.

The plot is, Maina and his men would take power, stop Jonathan, sack Maurice Iwu, install their man, and hurriedly organize elections that would see Buhari emerge.

Maina, pointblanknews leant had been under surveillance for a while, and had been fingered as one ambitious top officer. He was also indicted by the Christian Elders Forum, of complicity in the Jos mayhem. The forum had urged the UN, National Assembly, and the Vice President to investigate his role in the crisis.

Highly placed military sources also hinted that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau has immediately ordered an intensified security surveillance on military officers with links to the alleged military strike.