A General Court Martial in Abuja, presided over by Air Vice Marshal H.I. Alhaji, has deferred its ruling on the admissibility of statements made by accused military officers until Monday, October 5. The court, which sits at the Scorpion Officers' Mess, Asokoro, Abuja, had earlier scheduled the ruling for Wednesday, September 30. The postponement marks the fourth time the ruling has been deferred.
The trial involves several Nigerian military officers accused of conspiring to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu on October 1, 2025. The accused officers have denied the allegations. The case arose from allegations investigated by the military authorities, leading to the officers' arrest and prosecution before a General Court Martial in Abuja.
The defence had challenged the admissibility of the statements, alleging that some of the officers were coerced by officials of the Defence Intelligence Agency into making or reproducing statements containing information they described as false. The defence lawyers argued that the statements failed to meet the legal requirements for admissibility.
The prosecution presented evidence aimed at establishing that the statements were made voluntarily and without improper pressure. Some of the accused officers gave contrary accounts during the trial-within-a-trial, alleging that they were subjected to coercion, intimidation, inducement, and physical abuse while in detention.
According to evidence before the court, some of the officers alleged that they were made to believe that reproducing particular statements would facilitate their release. They further claimed that some statements had already been prepared by intelligence officials and that they were compelled to copy or sign them despite allegedly not knowing some of the matters contained in the documents.
The ruling on the admissibility of the disputed statements is expected to determine whether the prosecution will be allowed to rely on the statements as part of its evidence in the ongoing proceedings. The postponement therefore further delays the court's determination of a key evidentiary dispute in the military trial.
The case has featured disputes over the circumstances in which some of the accused officers' statements were obtained, including defence claims of coercion and other forms of improper treatment. The accused officers have denied the allegations, while the trial continues.
Key points
- The Nigerian military court has postponed its ruling on the admissibility of statements made by accused military officers in an alleged coup plot until October 5.
- The trial involves several military officers accused of conspiring to overthrow President Bola Tinubu's government.
- The defence has challenged the admissibility of the statements, alleging coercion and improper treatment of the accused officers.
