The Nigerian military has inaugurated a general court – martial to try 36 officers accused of an alleged coup plot.
The officers were brought to the venue of the sitting, the guards brigade scorpion mess, Asokoro, at about 8:53 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2026 under tight security.
However, journalists were denied access into the courtroom as proceedings commenced behind closed doors, while several civil lawyers were observed arriving at the venue ahead of the inauguration, suggesting the presence of legal representatives for the defendants.
The sitting signals the beginning of the military’s internal trial process following months of investigation into the alleged plot.
The matter dates back to October 2025 when about 16 serving military personnel, comprising senior and junior officers, were arrested over alleged acts of indiscipline.
Subsequent investigations by military authorities, however, established that some of the officers had cases to answer bordering on an alleged attempt to overthrow the constitutional government, leading to the decision to subject them to court-martial.
About 36 accused officers were brought to the court.
