The Nigerian military has inaugurated a court-martial to try 36 personnel accused of involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The panel, set up by the Defence Headquarters, was formally inaugurated on Friday at the Scorpion Mess in Asokoro, Abuja, amid tight security.
Proceedings were held behind closed doors, with journalists denied access and movement around the venue heavily restricted.
Security operatives also barred the use of mobile phones as the accused personnel were brought in under escort from the Army Headquarters Garrison.
The development comes as the Federal Government also pursues a parallel prosecution.
Through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, six other suspects linked to the same alleged plot were arraigned on a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja earlier in the week.
The group included a retired major general, a retired naval captain, a serving police inspector, and civilians.
The court ordered their remand in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and fixed April 27 for the commencement of an accelerated hearing.
A former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, is also named in the charge but is reportedly at large.
Reports of a coup plot first gained public attention following the cancellation of the Independence Day parade scheduled for October 1, 2025, though the Defence Headquarters later dismissed any link between the cancellation and coup-related activity.
Subsequent reports suggested arrests of military officers in connection with the investigation, which authorities later confirmed was ongoing under military judicial procedures.
In January 2026, the Defence Headquarters acknowledged that an attempted coup plot had been uncovered and said implicated personnel would face military justice.
However, the matter has since triggered public debate, with families of detained officers calling for transparent proceedings and access to their relatives.
The dual-track prosecutions—military court-martial and civilian trial—are now expected to proceed in parallel as investigations into the alleged conspiracy continue.
