16 Military Officers to Face Court-Martial Over Alleged Coup Plot Against Tinubu

Sixteen serving Nigerian military officers are to be court-martialed over accusations of conspiring to overthrow President Bola Tinubu—an offence that, under military law, carries a potential sentence ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty.

This action follows a concluded high-level military investigation into the alleged plot, which originated with a series of arrests in October 2025. The suspects, whose ranks range from captain to brigadier-general, have been held in detention by the Defence Intelligence Agency since their apprehension.

The investigative panel has completed its work and submitted its findings, the military confirmed this week. This confirmation was provided by the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Samaila Uba.

In a statement, Uba said officers determined to have a case to answer will be formally charged before a military tribunal, in accordance with the Armed Forces Act. He stated the investigation adhered to standard procedures and scrutinized all circumstances related to the conduct of the accused personnel.

The probe identified several officers whose actions were found to contradict the ethical values and professional standards demanded of the Armed Forces. Uba added that the military chose to disclose the outcome to ensure accountability, while committing to fairness and due legal process.

Speaking on the gravity of the charge, retired senior officers indicated that attempted mutiny leaves little room for leniency under existing statutes. They classified it as a capital offence, where the prescribed punishment is death unless commuted by presidential pardon.

Two retired officers, Gen. Bashir Adewinbi and Major Bashir Galma, explained the legal framework. They stated that the penalty for an attempted coup is death, as stipulated by the Armed Forces Act, and that only presidential clemency from Commander-in-Chief Bola Tinubu could potentially alter that outcome.

Gen. Adewinbi elaborated, “A coup is a criminal offence in the military with severe penalties. The high command may have initially denied the reports to allow for a thorough investigation. Now that the report confirms an attempt, everyone involved must face the consequences. There is no ambiguity—a coup attracts the death penalty.”

“We have witnessed this before in Nigeria. While the President holds the prerogative of mercy, the standard punishment is death, meant to deter others from attempting to undermine our democracy, which the military is duty-bound to protect,” he added.

Major Galma emphasized that military personnel are subject to a dual legal system: military law and the national constitution.

Nigeria has a protracted history of coup trials and allegations. Past military governments executed officers accused of plotting, such as Major-General Mamman Vatsa in 1986. During the 1990s, under General Sani Abacha, numerous officers and civilians were also imprisoned over alleged coup plots.