Alleged coup plot: Military to court-martial 16 officers after probe

The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has concluded investigations into 16 officers arrested over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations, with several of them set to face court-martial.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

Uba recalled that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had announced the arrest of the officers in October 2025, noting that investigations had now been completed in line with established military procedures and existing regulations.

According to him, the probe thoroughly examined the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel and found that a number of the officers had cases to answer, including allegations linked to an alleged plot to overthrow the government.

He said such actions were incompatible with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of members 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,” Uba stated.

The defence spokesman stressed that the actions being taken were purely disciplinary, describing them as part of internal mechanisms aimed at safeguarding discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness within the military.

He reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to professionalism, loyalty and respect for constitutional authority, assuring Nigerians that due process and fairness would be strictly observed throughout the court-martial proceedings.

NAN