A prominent Zaria-based Islamic scholar, Sani Khalifa, has been held in detention for 23 days over an alleged link to a coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s government in Nigeria. This prolonged detention persists despite the Nigerian government’s repeated denials of any plan to topple Mr. Tinubu’s administration.

Mr. Khalifa’s ordeal began when his bank account was suddenly frozen without any written notification. Efforts to resolve the issue at his Zaria bank branch were unsuccessful, with bank officials directing him to the institution’s headquarters in Abuja. According to multiple sources familiar with the case, it was shortly after his arrival in the capital to address this unexplained bank account freeze that security operatives took him into custody.

His detention, as briefed by people privy to the interrogation, is connected to a N2 million transfer sent to his account by one of the suspected coup plotters. However, a family member, who spoke anonymously due to not being authorized to speak, stated that Mr. Khalifa vehemently insists he has no relationship with the soldier in question. The family member clarified that the transfer was facilitated indirectly through one of the cleric's disciples who knew the soldier.