Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has called on the Nigerian military to either release the officers detained over allegations of plotting a coup against Nigeria’s democracy or, if necessary, formally arraign them. In October, the Federal Government announced the cancellation of the parade that had been scheduled to commemorate the nation’s 65th Independence anniversary
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has called on the Nigerian military to either release the officers detained over allegations of plotting a coup against Nigeria’s democracy or, if necessary, formally arraign them.
In October, the Federal Government announced the cancellation of the parade that had been scheduled to commemorate the nation’s 65th Independence anniversary on October 1.
Several days after the event was cancelled, reports surfaced suggesting a possible connection to an alleged coup attempt. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), though, rejected these claims and emphasised that the cancellation was not related to any coup activity. They also clarified that the arrest of sixteen officers, as mentioned in the report, was unrelated to any coup plot.
Falana therefore urged the Federal Government and military leadership to either release or formally charge the more than 40 military officers detained in relation to an alleged coup plot against the administration led by President Bola Tinubu.
Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, stated that the officers’ concerns mainly relate to what they see as career stagnation due to consistently not passing promotion exams. He also mentioned that some of these officers are currently being investigated or tried for other offences.
Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, expressed that the government fully trusts the military, rejected rumours of a coup as inaccurate, and commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria for their dedication to protecting the nation’s security.
Although denied, reports later indicated that over 40 officers had been detained in the alleged plot, with 15 additional arrests. While some names are public, others—including a high-ranking military member and a ruling party member—remain undisclosed.
Falana expressed concern regarding the extended detention of the officers without access to legal representation, underscoring the importance of upholding their rights. He stated, “They are to be regarded as innocent unless proven guilty by the state.”
Reacting to the detention of the officers in a statement on Monday, Falana said, despite official denial, it had been confirmed that the affected military personnel were being investigated over their alleged involvement in the rumoured coup plot. He asked the military authorities to arraign the officers before a court-martial if there is prima facie evidence against them.
“It is pertinent to point out that the authorities are under a legal obligation to respect the human rights of the detained military officers since they are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the state.
“Even though we are totally opposed to any form of unconstitutional change of government, we are compelled to demand the conditional or unconditional release of the detained military officers from custody.
“However, if there is prima facie evidence that they had plotted to overthrow the government, they should be arraigned before special courts-martial and general courts-martial in line with the provisions of the Armed Forces Act and the Nigerian Constitution.”
