Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says military personnel indicted in an investigation into alleged misconduct — including claims of a plot to overthrow the government — will soon be arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels.
The development follows months of speculation after reports emerged that several officers, ranging in rank from Captain to Brigadier General, were arrested by the Defence Intelligence Agency over alleged secret meetings aimed at destabilising the government. The reports also linked the alleged plot to the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade.
At the time, the then Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau (retd.), dismissed the claims, describing them as an attempt to sow distrust and insisting the matter was strictly an internal disciplinary issue. He confirmed that an investigative panel had been set up and promised that its findings would be made public.
On Monday, the new Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, announced that the investigation had been completed in line with established military procedures and forwarded to the appropriate superior authority.
According to Uba, the probe identified a number of officers with cases to answer over allegations of plotting to overthrow the government — conduct he said was incompatible with the ethics, values and professional standards of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
“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,” Uba said. “Investigations into the matter have now been concluded, and the report has been forwarded to the appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
He added that those indicted would be formally arraigned before relevant military judicial panels to face trial under the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations, stressing that due process would be followed.
Uba also emphasised that the steps being taken are purely disciplinary and part of the military’s internal mechanisms to maintain order, discipline and operational effectiveness within the ranks.
Meanwhile, security and military sources say President Bola Tinubu has expressed full confidence in the Armed Forces to handle the matter in accordance with the law.
Sources familiar with the investigation alleged that some of the suspected plotters infiltrated the Presidential Villa in Abuja, carrying out surveillance and identifying security vulnerabilities before the plan was uncovered. Parts of the breach were reportedly traced to compromised staff linked to Julius Berger, the firm responsible for constructing and maintaining the Villa.
According to the sources, authorities deliberately delayed public action to allow for a thorough investigation, close security loopholes and identify all those involved. Measures are now said to be underway to review internal security protocols, particularly regarding contractors and staff with access to sensitive areas.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, a pro-democracy group, the Concerned Pro-Democratic Activists of Nigeria, has appealed to the Federal Government to consider the welfare of the detained officers.
Speaking in Lafia, Nasarawa State, the group’s chairman, Yusuf Dauda, claimed some of the officers arrested since October 2025 were suffering deteriorating health conditions in detention and lacked adequate medical care. He also raised concerns about alleged denial of access to family members.
While condemning any attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government, Dauda urged authorities to act with fairness, calling either for proper medical attention for the detainees or their arraignment in court if there is a case against them.
Security officials, however, maintain that the investigation confirmed the existence of a planned coup and insist the military will proceed strictly according to its rules and the law.
