Nigeria Sets Up Court Martial Over Alleged 2025 Coup Plot

Nigeria has formally inaugurated a military court to try officers accused of involvement in a failed coup attempt, according to the country’s Defence Headquarters.

The move marks a major escalation in the government’s response to allegations of a plot that authorities say could have threatened decades of democratic rule in Africa’s most populous nation.

The Defence Headquarters said it has set up a General Court Martial to try 36 serving military personnel over alleged mutiny and an attempt to overthrow the government.

Spokesperson Samaila Uba confirmed that the proceedings will be conducted with fairness, although hearings are taking place behind closed doors for security reasons.

Judges for the court martial were sworn in on Friday, with state media reporting that more than 30 accused officers were transported to a military facility in Abuja.

The identities of those facing trial have not yet been made public, and no official timeline for the proceedings has been announced.

Authorities initially denied reports of a coup plot, but later confirmed in January that a planned attempt to overthrow the government had been foiled.

If successful, the alleged coup would have ended Nigeria’s 25-year stretch of civilian democratic rule under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

In a related case, six civilians have also appeared before the Federal High Court, pleading not guilty to charges connected to the alleged conspiracy. Prosecutors say the group conspired to wage war against the state and intimidate the president.

Among the accused is retired major general Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, while Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji has been identified in local reports as a key figure in the alleged plot.

Nigeria has a long and complex history with military coups, having spent much of its post-independence era under military rule following independence from the United Kingdom in 1960. Civilian governance was restored in 1999 and has remained in place since.

Following the emergence of the alleged plot, President Tinubu also carried out a reshuffle of top military leadership, a move widely interpreted as part of efforts to strengthen control and stability within the armed forces.