The Nigerian military has inaugurated a general court-martial to try 36 personnel accused of plotting to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu, holding the proceedings in secrecy despite the presence of accredited journalists.
The court-martial, constituted by the Defence Headquarters, was inaugurated on Friday at the Scorpion Mess, Asokoro, Abuja, under heavy security. The session was held behind closed doors, and journalists, including accredited defence correspondents who had received prior invitations, were denied access to the venue. Security personnel also barred the use of mobile phones to document the arrival of the 36 defendants, who were transported to the mess in an Army Headquarters Garrison bus at approximately 8:53 a.m.
The military proceedings are unfolding alongside parallel criminal charges filed by the Federal Government at the Federal High Court in Abuja. On April 22, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, arraigned several other suspects in connection with the same alleged plot before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik. That group, which includes retired military officers, a police inspector, and civilians, pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering.
The prosecution alleges that the group conspired in 2025 to overthrow the government and failed to report the plot to authorities. The court has since ordered their remand in the custody of the Department of State Services, with an accelerated hearing scheduled for April 27.
The dual-track prosecution has sparked a significant legal debate. Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has urged the AGF to invoke Section 174 of the Constitution to discontinue the military trial and consolidate all cases before the Federal High Court. Falana argued that under Section 251 of the Constitution, offences such as treason and terrorism fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, and questioned the legal consistency of prosecuting some suspects in a civilian court while subjecting others to a military tribunal for the same alleged offences.
“Courts-martial lack the jurisdiction to handle such grave constitutional offences,” Falana stated, noting that even under past military regimes, coup-related cases were typically handled by special tribunals rather than standard courts-martial.
Families of the accused, alongside activist Omoyele Sowore, have also joined the call for a transparent, civilian-led trial to ensure the defendants’ fundamental rights are protected.
