Nigerian Army Brigadier General, Domestic Staff Detained Over Terror Financing Allegations
Military authorities have reportedly detained a serving Brigadier General, Gabriel E. Archibong, since the first week of January 2026 over alleged links to a retired Nigerian Army Major General, Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi.
Sources said three others—two military personnel and a civilian—are also in custody alongside the senior officer. Archibong’s domestic staff, including his personal assistant, driver, and a civilian steward, were reportedly arrested in connection with the case.
Those identified as being held with him are Sgt. Zakari Lawali, his personal assistant; Cpl. Adekanye Olaoluwa, his driver; and Ismaila, described as a civilian steward in his household.
A source claimed the Brigadier General’s arrest was linked to his association with Ali-Keffi, as well as the frequency of their communications. Archibong was also said to be under scrutiny for allegedly “not cooperating” with military authorities.
It was earlier reported in January that his detention may be connected to Ali-Keffi’s ongoing legal and public dispute with former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd).
Ali-Keffi, who was appointed in October 2020 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari to head the covert Presidential Task Force, Operation Service Wide (OSW), has made repeated allegations concerning the release of terrorism financing suspects while they were in military custody.
The task force, made up of personnel from the military, security and intelligence agencies, as well as legal officers from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, was mandated to arrest, investigate, and prosecute financiers and collaborators of terrorist organisations, as well as track and neutralise their leadership.
Reports indicate that Brig. Gen. Archibong is being held at the Army’s Special Investigation Bureau. A military source disclosed that he was taken to his residence in Lugbe, Abuja, a day after his arrest, where soldiers conducted a search that lasted over three hours. Although nothing incriminating was reportedly found, his phones and laptop were seized.
Archibong currently serves as Chief of Staff at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army in Minna, Niger State, where he plays a key role in military training and operational development.
He began his military career at the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1994 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1999 after earning a degree in Political Science and Defence Studies. Over the years, he has served in various command and operational roles across the country, including in the North East, as well as in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Gabon.
Despite suffering severe injuries from a life-threatening motor accident that left him bedridden for over two years, Archibong returned to active service and continued his career, earning multiple commendations for leadership and professionalism.
Sources within the military expressed concern that the prolonged detention could negatively impact his career and well-being, insisting that he has not committed any offence. Some also alleged that his arrest may be linked to internal power struggles involving senior figures in the military establishment.
In December 2025, Ali-Keffi filed a multi-billion-naira lawsuit at the National Industrial Court in Abuja against the Nigerian Army and top defence officials, challenging his arrest, detention, and compulsory retirement.
He alleged that he was unlawfully detained for 64 days without charge, subjected to torture, denied a fair hearing, and forced into retirement in violation of the Constitution, the Armed Forces Act, and military regulations.
Ali-Keffi is seeking ₦100 billion in compensatory damages, ₦100 billion in punitive damages, and ₦120 million in special damages for lost allowances. He is also asking the court to nullify his compulsory retirement, recognise it as voluntary, and order the payment of his full entitlements with interest.
The retired officer has also alleged that all terrorism financing suspects arrested by the OSW under his leadership were later released while he was in detention.
He further claimed that he and his family received death threats following his detention and retirement, forcing them to travel abroad repeatedly for safety, resulting in significant financial, emotional, and psychological strain.
Ali-Keffi had previously stated that investigations conducted by the OSW uncovered an alleged network of terrorism financing involving senior military officers, financial officials, and government figures.
According to him, the task force, working with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), arrested several high-profile suspects in March 2021 based on financial intelligence tracing money flows linked to terrorism financing.
He clarified that while some suspects were linked to prominent individuals, including former service chiefs and top government officials, he did not directly accuse those individuals of financing terrorism but noted that investigations established connections between them and the suspects.
Ali-Keffi also alleged interference in the investigation process, including the removal of a key prosecutor and actions that influenced the handling and eventual release of certain suspects.
He maintained that his findings were formally presented to former President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2021 and were based on briefings from the then Director of the NFIU, Modibbo Hamman-Tukur Ribadu.
The retired general has continued to insist that the challenges he has faced within the military stem from his refusal to suppress the findings of the terror financing investigation and his push for accountability within the armed forces.
