NAF to Arraign Officers Over Alleged Coup Plot

The Nigerian Armed Forces have announced that some officers will be arraigned before a military judicial panel to face trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the government, following the conclusion of internal investigations into what it described as serious breaches of military conduct.

In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the Armed Forces said the planned arraignments are being carried out in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations. According to the statement, investigations into the matter have been completed and the findings forwarded to the appropriate superior authorities for further action.

“It would be recalled that the Defence Headquarters issued a press statement in October 2025 regarding the arrest of sixteen officers over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations,” the statement said. “The comprehensive investigation process, conducted in accordance with established military procedures, has carefully examined all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.”

The Armed Forces disclosed that the investigation identified a number of officers facing allegations of plotting to overthrow the government — conduct it described as incompatible with the ethics, values, and professional standards expected of members of the military. It added that the measures being taken are strictly disciplinary and form part of institutional mechanisms aimed at preserving order within the ranks.

The announcement comes after months of speculation surrounding an alleged coup plot, speculation that intensified following the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade. At the time, the Defence Headquarters dismissed claims that sixteen officers — ranging from the rank of Captain to Brigadier General — had been detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency over covert meetings to plan a takeover of government.

Instead, the military attributed the parade’s cancellation to President Bola Tinubu’s attendance at a strategic bilateral meeting abroad, as well as the need for the Armed Forces to maintain momentum in ongoing operations against terrorism, insurgency, and banditry.

However, confusion deepened later that same month when soldiers reportedly stormed the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State governor and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, over alleged links to the suspected plot. Multiple security sources said the operation was carried out by a special military team following intelligence reports connecting Sylva to secret meetings with some of the detained officers. The operation was also said to have extended to Sylva’s Bayelsa residence, where his brother was reportedly arrested.

The conflicting accounts have drawn criticism from opposition figures. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to clearly explain the nature of the alleged coup plot, warning that contradictory statements from official sources had only fueled public uncertainty.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed concern that the Defence Headquarters had publicly denied references to a coup plot despite widespread reports suggesting otherwise. “By keeping quiet, the government has deliberately allowed the coup story to fester for whatever reason,” the ADC said.

The unfolding situation has once again highlighted the opaque manner in which sensitive political and security matters are communicated to the public. While the government insists that due process is being followed, key details remain undisclosed, leaving citizens to piece together developments through speculation and unofficial leaks. 

In Nigeria’s professed democracy, where legitimacy is supposed to rest on the consent of the governed, the government’s persistent opacity around issues of national security reinforces a growing sense that political affairs are not meant for public understanding, but for a small circle of powerbrokers increasingly detached from the people they claim to represent.

This only emphasizes the widening gap between a political class that governs with impunity and a public whose role, beyond elections, appears largely symbolic.