Federal Government Yet to Decide Trial Mode for Alleged Coup Plotters Against Tinubu
- The Federal Government remained undecided on whether to court-martial or arraign in civilian courts the officers accused of plotting a coup against President Bola Tinubu
- Defence Headquarters had earlier confirmed the arrest of 16 senior military officers and 24 civilians linked to the alleged plan, but silence followed on the trial process
- Senior officials admitted that confusion over jurisdiction had stalled proceedings, with the final decision resting on the President’s directive
Reports indicated that the Federal Government had not yet decided whether the officers accused of plotting a coup against President Bola Tinubu would face trial in a military court or a regular civilian court.
PUNCH sources suggested that the indecision stemmed from the fact that the alleged offence was committed under a democratic government, unlike past coup attempts during military regimes where court-martial proceedings were standard.
Source: Twitter
Arrests and defence headquarters’ position
In October 2025, the military arrested 16 senior officers, including a Brigadier General, a Naval officer, and Air Force personnel. At the time, the authorities denied any link to a coup plot. However, on January 26, the Defence Headquarters admitted that the arrests were connected to an alleged plan to topple Tinubu’s administration.
Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, stated that the suspects would be arraigned before “relevant military judicial panels to face trial in line with the Armed Forces Act” and other service regulations. Alongside the military officers, about 24 civilians were also arrested in connection with the alleged plot.
Silence and indecision on prosecution
Since the Defence Headquarters’ announcement, there had been silence regarding the trial process. Senior military officers told Saturday PUNCH that the delay was due to uncertainty over the appropriate court. One officer explained, “We (the military leadership) are waiting for the President’s directive on the constitution of the court-martial panel. The DHQ had earlier announced that the indicted officers would be court-martialled in line with our rules. But there are some people, including government officials at the federal level, arguing that a court martial is not appropriate.”
The officer clarified that only military personnel would face court-martial, while civilians would be tried in regular courts. Another senior officer at Army headquarters confirmed that investigations had been concluded and that arraignment would take place “very soon,” though he admitted uncertainty over which court would handle the matter.
Ministry of Justice yet to decide
A senior official at the Federal Ministry of Justice confirmed that the Attorney General’s office had not yet determined the trial venue. He described the situation as “confusion,” noting that this was the first coup attempt under a civilian government. He explained, “Nothing has been concluded. The AG’s office is central to the trial, whether it is a court-martial or a regular court. We cannot rush to any court; we need to establish that the court has jurisdiction to handle the matter.”
The final decision on whether the suspects would be court-martialled or arraigned in civilian courts appeared to rest with President Tinubu, who, as Commander-in-Chief, held the authority to direct the trial process. Until then, the fate of the alleged coup plotters remained uncertain.
Source: Facebook
Families of military officers detained over alleged coup plot speak
Legit.ng earlier reported that family members of the 16 detained military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu were reported to have appealed to the authorities for leniency.
Daily Trust reported that the families had reached out to top political and government figures at the seat of power, urging the presidency to temper justice with mercy in the matter.
It was gathered that the officers, who had been in detention since October 2025, were awaiting court-martial after the military high command declared them guilty of the offence.
Source: Legit.ng
