…16 Officers face court-martial
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has formally confirmed that a coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was uncovered, bringing an end to months of official denials and speculation surrounding the arrest of several senior military officers.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, disclosed that investigations into acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations involving 16 officers have been concluded, with those found culpable to be arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels.
Uba said the affected officers, who range in rank from Captain to Brigadier-General, were arrested in October 2025 following intelligence reports. At the time, both the Defence Headquarters and the Presidency had dismissed claims of an attempted coup, insisting the arrests were strictly internal disciplinary matters unrelated to politics.
However, following more than two months of intensive interrogation and investigations conducted by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the military has now acknowledged that some of the allegations examined bordered on plotting to overthrow the government.
According to credible Presidency sources, the final report of the investigation has since been submitted to President Tinubu and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, after the DIA concluded its assignment and formally briefed the President.
Maj.-Gen. Uba explained that the probe reviewed all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the detained officers and identified those with cases to answer under extant military laws.
He described the alleged actions as inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. “Accordingly, officers found to have cases to answer will be formally arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels to face trial in line with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations”, the Defence spokesman said.
He stressed that the ongoing process is part of the military’s internal disciplinary mechanism aimed at preserving discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness within the ranks, while reaffirming the Armed Forces’ loyalty to constitutional authority.
Uba further assured Nigerians that due process and fairness would be strictly observed throughout the court-martial proceedings, underscoring the military’s commitment to professionalism and respect for democratic governance.
