Nigeria’s military will try several officers over an alleged plan to oust President Bola Tinubu last year, it said on Monday (January 26, 2026), acknowledging a plot the government had initially denied.
In October, the military said 16 officers had been arrested over “issues of indiscipline”.
Despite official denials, sources across the Nigerian Government and military had told AFP they were arrested over a coup plot.
If successful, this would have brought an end to a quarter-century of democracy in Africa’s most populous country.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) wishes to inform the general public that investigations into the matter have been concluded,” Major General Samaila Uba, a spokesman for the Defence Headquarters, said in a statement on Monday (January 26).
“The findings have identified a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” he said.
“Those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before appropriate military judicial panel to face trial.”
No date was given for the trials. The officers could face the death penalty if found guilty, according to legal experts.
Shortly after denying the alleged coup plot, Tinubu reshuffled the country’s top military brass.
A senior administration official told AFP at the time: “Normally when such a thing happens, it means there is a gap in intelligence. No leader would accept that.”
General Christopher Musa was dropped as chief of defence staff in the shuffle, though he has since come back as defence minister.
Government denials
The west African country has seen several military takeovers in its history and spent much of the 20th century under junta rule after its independence from Britain.
It transitioned to civilian rule in 1999 and has had a democratic government since.
Hints of the affair first became public when Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters issued a statement on October 4 on the arrest of 16 officers, on what it said were cases of indiscipline and perceived career stagnation.
Reports of a foiled coup later appeared in the Nigerian press.
News around the alleged plot faded from view amid strong government denials and as the country was swept up in a diplomatic crisis as U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Nigeria for allegedly not doing enough to protect Christians from violence.
The Nigerian military is fighting a long-running insurgency against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast.
While the violence has waned since its peak a decade ago, attacks continue, including deadly assaults on military bases, seemingly with no end in sight.
Analysts warned of a rise in violence in 2025, while troops have at times reported unpaid wages and poor conditions.
The military is stretched thin on other fronts as well, including fighting armed gangs known as “bandits” in the northwest that kidnap for ransom, and separatists in the southeast.
The United States has since launched joint strikes against Islamic State Sahel Province militants in the northwest and pledged increased intelligence sharing to help Nigeria carry out air strikes across the north.
Published – January 27, 2026 03:39 am IST
