The Nigerian Armed Forces has announced that some officers will be arraigned before a military judicial panel over an alleged plot to overthrow the government.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, who said the action is in line with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations.
According to the statement, investigations into the arrest of 16 officers for acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations—first announced in October 2025—have been concluded and the findings forwarded to the appropriate superior authority.
“The comprehensive investigation process, conducted in accordance with established military procedures, carefully examined all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel,” the statement said.
It added that the findings identified some of the officers as having links to allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, actions described as inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
“Accordingly, those with 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. This ensures accountability while upholding the principles of fairness and due process,” the statement said.
The Armed Forces stressed that the measures being taken are purely disciplinary and part of institutional mechanisms to preserve order, discipline and operational effectiveness within the ranks, while reaffirming loyalty to constitutional authority.
The arrests of the officers were initially explained by the military as resulting from acts of indiscipline and violations of service regulations. Preliminary investigations at the time indicated that the grievances of the affected officers were linked to career stagnation, including repeated failure in promotion examinations.
The military also disclosed that some of the officers were already under investigation for other offences and were either facing trial or awaiting court proceedings.
The matter has generated widespread speculation in recent months, particularly following the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade, which some reports linked to an alleged coup attempt.
However, the Defence Headquarters had previously dismissed claims that the parade was cancelled due to a coup plot, explaining that the decision was taken to enable President Bola Tinubu to attend a strategic bilateral meeting abroad and to allow the Armed Forces to sustain momentum in ongoing operations against terrorism, insurgency and banditry.
In October, the military reiterated its loyalty to the Constitution and the Federal Government under the leadership of President Tinubu.
The controversy deepened the same month following reports that soldiers raided the Abuja residence of a former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, over alleged links to the suspected coup plot. Security sources claimed the operation followed intelligence reports connecting him to secret meetings with some of the detained officers. It was also reported that his brother was arrested during a related operation in Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to clarify the true nature of the alleged coup plot.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed concern over what it described as conflicting signals from government and military authorities.
“The ADC is particularly concerned that the Federal Government has not made a categorical statement on this very serious matter, especially after repeated denials by military authorities that there was a threat to the government,” the party said, warning that silence has allowed speculation to persist.
