The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced plans to arraign military personnel indicted after investigations into alleged misconduct, including claims of a plot to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu.
The DHQ disclosed on Monday that investigations into the matter had been concluded and the report forwarded to the appropriate superior authority, paving the way for the trial of affected officers before a military judicial panel.
Security and military sources familiar with the case said President Tinubu has expressed confidence in the Armed Forces to handle the matter strictly in line with military rules and existing laws.
The development comes amid calls by a pro-democracy group urging the Federal Government to consider the health and welfare of officers detained in connection with the alleged plot.
In October 2025, the DHQ announced the arrest of 16 officers over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations. Shortly after, online news platform Sahara Reporters alleged that the officers, ranging in rank from Captain to Brigadier General, were arrested by the Defence Intelligence Agency for holding secret meetings aimed at toppling the government. The report also linked the alleged plot to the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade.
At the time, the then Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau (retd), dismissed the report, describing it as an attempt to sow tension and distrust within the polity. He maintained that the arrests were purely an internal disciplinary matter and confirmed that an investigative panel had been constituted.
Providing an update on Monday, the new Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said a comprehensive investigation conducted in line with established military procedures had now been concluded.
“The Defence Headquarters issued a press statement in October 2025 regarding the arrest of sixteen officers over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations,” Uba said.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public that investigations into the matter have been concluded and the report forwarded to the appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
According to him, the investigation identified a number of officers with cases to answer over allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, conduct he said was inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Uba said those indicted would be formally arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations.
“This ensures accountability while upholding the principles of fairness and due process,” he added, stressing that the measures being taken were purely disciplinary and part of institutional mechanisms to preserve order, discipline and operational effectiveness within the ranks.
“The Armed Forces remain resolute in maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, loyalty and respect for constitutional authority,” Uba said.
Meanwhile, security and military sources have disclosed fresh details of the alleged plot, claiming that some of the suspects successfully infiltrated the Presidential Villa in Abuja during the planning stage.
According to the sources, some serving military officers involved in the plot gained access to the Villa, conducted surveillance and assessed security installations, identifying vulnerabilities before the plot was uncovered.
A Presidential Villa security source disclosed on Monday that the plotters had penetrated the Villa and perfected plans to carry out the act.
“The coup plotters actually compromised the Villa. Some of them are military officers. They accessed the Villa and its security installations and vulnerabilities,” the source said.
Investigators were also said to have traced part of the security breach to Julius Berger, the construction company responsible for building and maintaining the Villa. Security sources claimed that some staff of the firm were compromised and allegedly provided access to sensitive areas of the presidential complex.
The Presidential Villa, also known as Aso Rock, is one of the most heavily guarded facilities in the country, protected by elite military units, intelligence operatives and private contractors.
However, intelligence reports in October 2025 reportedly indicated unusual activities around the Villa and some staff, prompting closer surveillance by security agencies.
On whether the President would intervene in the process, a security official said Tinubu would not interfere with military procedures.
“The President will not stop the military from acting according to its rules and the law of the country. The report is already with the President, confirming there was indeed a planned coup, and the military will carry out its action,” the source said.
He added that authorities deliberately delayed public disclosure to allow for thorough investigations and to seal security loopholes.
Meanwhile, a pro-democracy group, the Concerned Pro-Democratic Activists of Nigeria, has appealed to President Tinubu to consider the health and welfare of detained officers.
Speaking in Lafia, Nasarawa State, the group’s chairman, Yusuf Dauda, claimed that some of the officers arrested since October 2025 were falling ill in detention and lacked adequate medical attention.
Dauda also decried what he described as denial of access to family members, urging the authorities to either release the officers if no case existed against them or promptly arraign them.
While condemning any attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government, he appealed for fairness and humane treatment as the military judicial process unfolds.