The Nigerian Army has postponed the General Court Martial (GCM) decision regarding the alleged coup plot involving several military officers accused of trying to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government. The ruling, initially set for September 30, 2026, has been rescheduled to October 5, 2026. This marks the fourth delay in the trial.
A notice sent to court members and other relevant parties announced the postponement, stating that the GCM session will now start at 10 AM on October 5, 2026, at the Scorpion Officers' Mess in Asokoro, Abuja. Major MU Ardo signed the notice as the liaison officer. The Army did not provide a reason for the delay, only expressing regret for any inconvenience caused.
The trial involves military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Tinubu. The GCM is set to deliver its ruling on the admissibility of statements allegedly obtained from the accused officers amid claims of coercion by Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) officials. A trial-within-a-trial was held to determine if the statements were given willingly and can be used as evidence.
During the trial-within-a-trial, defense lawyers objected to allowing the prosecution's statements into evidence, arguing that they did not meet legal standards. The defense claimed that lawyers or witnesses chosen by the accused officers were not present when the statements were made, and video recordings were not made to show the accused officers writing their statements.
The prosecution presented evidence to prove that the statements were given willingly, while some accused officers testified that they faced coercion, intimidation, and physical abuse from DIA officials. Some officers claimed they were led to believe that making specific statements would help them get released from detention.
The accused officers further explained that intelligence officials had prepared statements for them and that they felt forced to sign these documents without knowing all the details included. Some officers stated that they did not personally write or create the statements attributed to them, but were made to copy pre-written statements containing allegations or admissions.
Air Vice Marshal H. I. Alhaji presides over the General Court Martial. The trial's outcome will determine the next steps in the military trial of soldiers linked to the alleged coup attempt against President Tinubu. The new session is scheduled for October 5, 2026.
Key points
- The Nigerian Army has delayed the coup trial decision for the fourth time, rescheduling the ruling to October 5, 2026.
- The trial involves military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government.
- The GCM will determine the admissibility of statements allegedly obtained from the accused officers amid claims of coercion by DIA officials.
