The panel probing senior military officers in October 2025 for alleged misconduct has indicted a few officers for plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
 
Disclosing this yesterday, the Director Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen Samaila Uba, entitled ‘Update On Disciplinary Cases Involving 16 Officers Investigated For Indiscipline, Breach Of Service Regulations’, explained that the conduct of the indicted officers was inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
 
The DHQ had stated in October 2025 regarding the arrest of 16 officers over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations. 
 
“The AFN 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. The comprehensive investigation process, conducted in accordance with established military procedures, has carefully examined all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.
 
“The findings have identified a number of 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. Accordingly, those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before an appropriate military judicial panel 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,” it stated.
 
The AFN reiterated that measures being taken were purely disciplinary and part of ongoing institutional mechanisms to preserve order, discipline and operational effectiveness within the ranks.
 
In September last year, reports emerged that 16 Nigerian military officers had been detained by military intelligence over alleged plot to overthrow Tinubu’s government. The purported plan was said to have been timed around Nigeria’s Independence Day parade on October 1, 2025.
 
However, the DHQ issued a statement clarifying that the detained officers were being held for “breaches of military regulations”, “indiscipline” and other internal matters – not for plotting a coup. It explained that the cancellation of the Independence Day parade was due to administrative and security reasons, not any threat to government stability.
 
The military further described the media reports as “false and misleading,” insisting that there was no evidence of a coup plot and reaffirming the Armed Forces’ loyalty to Nigeria’s democratic system.
 
By mid-October, Tinubu announced a sweeping shake-up of the military hierarchy, replacing the service chiefs. While the presidency maintained that the move was aimed at strengthening national security and improving professionalism, many observers linked the timing of the changes to the earlier coup allegations.
 
On October 4, 2025, the former DDI, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau, announced the arrest of 16 officers for breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.