Nigeria Sets Up Court Martial to Try 36 Officers Over Alleged Coup Plot

Nigeria’s military has set up a court martial to try 36 officers accused of plotting a coup, after initially denying the plan but later confirming it was foiled. Six civilians have also been charged in court. The move comes amid concerns over threats to Nigeria’s democratic rule, with Bola Tinubu having earlier reshuffled top military leadership.

The Nigerian Armed Forces on Friday formally inaugurated a General Court Martial to try 36 serving military personnel accused of involvement in an alleged coup plot aimed at overthrowing the government. The swearing-in of the justices, announced by the Defence Headquarters, marks a significant step in the military’s handling of what authorities describe as a serious case of mutiny within its ranks.
The government had initially denied any such plot late last year, but later reversed its position in January, confirming that it had uncovered and foiled an attempt to topple the administration. If the plan had succeeded, it could have disrupted more than two decades of uninterrupted democratic governance in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
According to a statement by Defence Headquarters spokesman Major General Samaila Uba, the court martial has been constituted to ensure that the accused officers are tried in accordance with military law. He stated that the proceedings would be conducted with the highest standards of fairness, although no specific timeline has been provided for when the trials will begin in full.
Reports from the News Agency of Nigeria indicate that the accused officers were transported to a military facility in Abuja on Friday morning for the inauguration ceremony. The event itself was held behind closed doors, and details regarding the identities of the officers or the schedule for prosecution remain undisclosed.
In a related development, six civilians have also been arraigned before the Abuja Federal High Court in connection with the alleged coup plot. Among them is retired major general Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, alongside retired captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani. All six individuals pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
Court documents allege that the defendants conspired to “levy war against the State” in an effort to intimidate or overawe the President of the Federal Republic. They are also accused of having prior knowledge of plans by Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji—identified in earlier reports as the alleged mastermind of the plot—and failing to inform authorities.
Although the names of the military officers facing court martial have not been made public, it was previously disclosed that 16 officers were arrested last year over what was initially described as “issues of indiscipline.” Despite official denials at the time, sources within both the government and the military suggested that the arrests were linked to the thwarted coup attempt.
Nigeria has a long history of military intervention in politics, having experienced several coups and extended periods of military rule following its independence from Britain in 1960. The country returned to civilian governance in 1999 and has maintained democratic rule since then.
In the aftermath of initially denying the coup allegations, President Bola Tinubu undertook a reshuffle of the country’s top military leadership, a move seen by observers as part of broader efforts to strengthen stability within the armed forces and reinforce civilian authority.