Families of military officers standing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu have called for international monitoring of the ongoing court martial proceedings, citing concerns over transparency, due process and the welfare of the detainees.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the families urged the international community and human rights organisations to closely observe the trial, insisting that their appeal was not for interference but to ensure fairness and accountability in the judicial process.

Speaking on behalf of the families, Aishatu Yesufu alleged that the detained officers and their relatives had been subjected to months of hardship since the officers were arrested about nine months ago.

“We love our country. We respect the military and its laws. But we are deeply afraid for our loved ones. We are speaking now because we believe the truth is being suppressed and the narrative is being controlled,” she said.

Yesufu alleged that family members and legal representatives were denied access to the detained officers for more than 180 days despite repeated requests.

She also claimed that some of the officers were facing health challenges, including vision and respiratory complications, and that families had not been provided with complete medical reports on their conditions.

According to her, concerns also remain over the circumstances under which statements were obtained from the accused officers, alleging that they were denied access to lawyers and relatives during interrogations.

The families further questioned reports of the use of restraints during court martial proceedings.

While stressing that they were not seeking to determine the innocence or guilt of the accused officers, the families maintained that the judicial process must be open, transparent and fair.

“We are not here to declare that our relatives are innocent of every allegation. That is for the court to determine. However, we are saying that the process has not been fair, open, or transparent,” Yesufu stated.

They called on military authorities to allow independent international human rights observers to monitor the proceedings, grant broader access to the media and the public, and permit independent medical professionals to examine the detainees.

They also appealed to the international community to keep a close watch on the case, arguing that public confidence in the outcome would depend largely on the transparency of the process.

“Our families are suffering. We cannot sleep. We watch our children cry for their fathers and mothers. We have already lost so much,” they said.

They added that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done, stressing that the fairness of the process is as important as the eventual verdict.

The families further disclosed that they possess documents, photographs and witnesses which they are prepared to make available to journalists.

Also speaking, human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that the constitutional rights of the detained officers are respected throughout the legal process.

Adeyanju said he had advised the families against making statements capable of prejudicing the trial and pledged to guide their public engagements to avoid comments that could influence the proceedings.

“My appeal goes directly to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. As the leader and father of the nation, he has a responsibility to ensure that no citizen is placed beneath the law or above the law,” he said.

The lawyer noted that Nigeria operates under a democratic constitutional order and not a military regime, stressing that adherence to the rule of law remains fundamental.

According to him, the concerns raised by the families deserve serious attention, as every citizen is entitled to fair treatment and protection under the law regardless of the allegations against them.

Adeyanju cited the Supreme Court judgment in Bello v. State, which affirmed that even convicted persons retain certain rights while legal processes remain pending.

“How much more people who are presumed innocent under the law? These citizens should be treated with dignity and respect. They have rights as citizens,” he said.

He urged the President to direct relevant authorities to investigate allegations concerning the welfare and health conditions of the detained officers and ensure that they receive appropriate medical care.

Adeyanju also called for the families to be allowed to engage independent medical professionals where necessary, arguing that such measures would strengthen public confidence in the integrity of the process.

“Nobody is saying whether the defendants are innocent or guilty. We are only saying that they should be treated like human beings,” he added.