Nigeria’s armed forces have announced that a number of military officers will be brought before a court-martial on charges of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu last year, in a move that confirms the existence of a coup plot the government had initially denied.
In a statement issued on Monday, Defence Ministry spokesperson Major General Samaila Uba said investigations had identified officers facing charges of conspiring against the constitutional order. He added that those found culpable would be referred to a competent military court. No date has been set for the start of the trials, while legal experts noted that the penalty could extend to the death sentence if convictions are secured.
In October last year, the military announced the arrest of 16 officers over what it described as “disciplinary issues,” but government and military sources later confirmed that the detentions were linked to an attempted coup. Had the plot succeeded, it would have ended nearly a quarter-century of civilian rule in Africa’s most populous country.
Following an initial official denial, President Tinubu carried out sweeping changes in the military leadership, including the removal of Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, who later returned to government as defence minister. At the time, a government official said such incidents revealed “intelligence gaps that no leadership can tolerate.”
Nigeria has experienced several military coups since gaining independence from Britain in 1960 and remained under military rule for much of the twentieth century before returning to civilian governance in 1999. Since then, the country has maintained a democratic system despite persistent security and political challenges.
These developments come as Nigerian forces continue prolonged operations against Boko Haram and the Islamic State-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the country’s northeast. Although the level of violence has declined from its peak a decade ago, attacks on military bases have continued.
The armed forces are also under pressure in the northwest from armed gangs known locally as “bandits,” and in the southeast from separatist groups. Soldiers have complained of delayed salaries and poor living conditions, while analysts have warned of a possible escalation in violence in 2026.
Meanwhile, the United States has stepped up military cooperation with Nigeria, carrying out joint strikes against Islamic State Sahel Province militants in the northwest and pledging to increase intelligence-sharing to support Nigerian air operations.