The Phantom Coup of Oladipo Diya refers to an alleged attempted coup plot that occurred in Nigeria in 1997. Oladipo Diya was a retired Nigerian Army General and former Chief of General Staff of Nigeria during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.
On December 21, 1997, the Nigerian government announced that it had uncovered a plot to overthrow the government, led by Oladipo Diya and other military officers. The government claimed that the plot, which was code-named “Operation Phantom Coup,” involved the use of military force to topple the government of General Sani Abacha.
Oladipo Diya and other military officers were arrested and detained by the government, and they were subsequently tried and convicted for their alleged roles in the coup plot. However, the circumstances surrounding the alleged coup plot have been the subject of controversy, with some alleging that the plot was fabricated by the government as a pretext to crack down on dissent and opposition.
There were reports of torture and other forms of human rights abuses during the investigation and trial of those accused of the coup plot. Oladipo Diya was eventually released from prison in 1998, following the death of General Sani Abacha.
The Phantom Coup of Oladipo Diya remains a controversial and contested event in Nigeria’s political history, and it has raised concerns about the abuse of power, human rights violations, and the rule of law in the country.
