DHQ Confirms Coup Plot: 16 Officers to Face Military Trial

ABUJA – The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has officially confirmed that a group of military officers, previously detained for “indiscipline,” were actually involved in a coordinated plot to topple the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

​In a high-stakes update released on Monday, January 26, 2026, the military high command revealed that investigations into sixteen officers arrested in October 2025 have concluded. While the initial arrests were framed as breaches of service regulations, the probe unearthed a far more clinical and dangerous reality: an alleged attempt to subvert constitutional authority.

​From Indiscipline to Insurrection

​Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, stated that the comprehensive investigation—conducted over the last three months—linked several of the suspects to a conspiracy to overthrow the government.

​”The findings have identified a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, which is inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the AFN,” Uba said in the statement.

​While the names and ranks of the embattled officers remain classified, the DHQ emphasized that those found culpable would be formally arraigned before a Military Court Martial (judicial panel). The trials will be conducted under the Armed Forces Act, which carries severe penalties for treason and mutiny.

​Upholding Constitutional Loyalty

​This development comes amid heightened efforts by the Nigerian military to purge the ranks of political interference and reassert its loyalty to democratic governance. The DHQ was quick to frame the upcoming trials as a necessary “house-cleaning” exercise to maintain operational effectiveness.

​The statement further reassured the public that the military remains “resolute in maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, loyalty, and respect for constitutional authority.”

ADVERTISEMENT

​What Happens Next?

​The transition from investigation to prosecution marks a critical phase for Nigeria’s security landscape. The Military Judicial Panel is expected to begin sittings shortly, where the evidence of the alleged plot will be laid bare.

​Legal experts suggest that because the charges involve a threat to the sovereign state, the proceedings will be watched closely by both domestic observers and international partners concerned with West African stability.