Nigerian Military Begins Court-Martial of Officers Over Alleged Coup Plot

The Nigerian military on Friday convened a General Court-Martial to try more than 30 officers accused of involvement in an alleged plan to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu.

The session opened at the Guards Brigade Scorpion Mess in Asokoro, Abuja. The accused officers were escorted to the venue around 8:53 a.m. in a bus described as a “Marco Polo” luxury vehicle, under heavy security arrangements.

Journalists were not allowed into the courtroom as proceedings began behind closed doors. Legal practitioners were seen arriving earlier, indicating representation for the accused officers.

The trial follows months of internal investigation. In October 2025, about 16 serving officers were initially detained on allegations of indiscipline. Military authorities later expanded the case after concluding that some of those involved were linked to an alleged attempt to undermine constitutional authority.

The current court-martial marks the military’s internal disciplinary process for serving personnel. Separately, civilian suspects and retired military officers connected to the same allegations are facing prosecution at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges including treason and terrorism. All have pleaded not guilty and remain in custody pending bail hearings.

No detailed proceedings from the court-martial were released at the time of filing.