Nigeria: Military begins court martial of officers over alleged coup plot

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

The Nigerian military on Friday inaugurated a general court-martial to try serving officers accused of involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow the government, formally opening proceedings.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the accused officers arrived at the Guards Brigade Scorpion Mess, Asokoro, around 8:53 a.m. under tight security. Journalists were barred from the courtroom as the sitting began behind closed doors.

Several civilian lawyers were seen arriving at the venue, indicating legal representation for the accused. More than 30 officers were brought in a “Marcopolo” bus.

The case follows the October 2025 arrest of about 16 serving military personnel, both senior and junior officers, over alleged acts of indiscipline. Subsequent military investigations found that some had cases to answer related to an alleged attempt to topple the constitutional government, prompting the court-martial.

In a related development, the federal government had earlier arraigned several civilians and retired military personnel before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the same alleged plot. 

The defendants, including a retired major general and a serving police officer, face treason and terrorism charges. They pleaded not guilty. The court ordered their remand pending a bail hearing.

The parallel proceedings reflect a dual-track approach: serving military personnel are tried by court-martial, while civilians and retired officers face civilian courts.