Keypoints:
- Nigeria begins closed-door court martial over alleged coup plot
- Thirty-six military officers face terrorism-related accusations
- Civilian proceedings have also drawn political scrutiny
NIGERIA’S military has opened a closed-door court martial involving dozens of officers accused of participating in an alleged coup plot, marking one of the country’s most politically sensitive security trials in decades.
The proceedings, which began in Abuja on Friday, involve 36 officers accused of conspiring to overthrow the government, according to court documents and reporting by AFP. Nigerian authorities say the alleged plot was uncovered in 2025, though the government initially denied reports of any attempted coup before later confirming that military proceedings would take place.
Closed-door military trial begins
The court martial follows the swearing-in of military judges two weeks ago and is being conducted behind closed doors at a military facility in Abuja, in line with standard military judicial procedures in Nigeria.
The Nigerian military has not officially identified a suspected leader of the alleged plot. However, local media reports named Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji as a key suspect in the case.
Court filings reviewed by AFP said prosecutors accused ‘Ma’aji and others’ of offences described in the documents as an ‘act of terrorism’.
Ma’aji reportedly served extensively in the Niger Delta region, where he participated in military operations targeting militancy and oil theft networks. At the time of his arrest, he was serving as commanding officer of the Nigerian Army’s 19 Battalion.
The military has not publicly released detailed evidence supporting the allegations, and the proceedings remain inaccessible to journalists and the public.
Democracy concerns resurface
The case has drawn significant attention because of Nigeria’s political history. Africa’s most populous nation experienced repeated military coups during the decades following independence from Britain in 1960 before returning to civilian rule in 1999.
Political analysts and security observers say the allegations have revived debate over democratic stability in West Africa, where several countries in the Sahel region have experienced successful military takeovers in recent years.
The proceedings come amid heightened regional sensitivity to military intervention following coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
Nigeria has remained one of the region’s largest democratic states despite mounting security pressures, economic strain and political tensions.
Civilian trial also under way
Separate civilian proceedings linked to the alleged plot are also taking place before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Court filings reviewed by AFP and Nigerian media named former oil minister Timipre Sylva among individuals accused in the alleged plot. Sylva remains at large and has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Africa Briefing previously reported that Interpol had joined Nigeria’s search for former oil minister Timipre Sylva following separate financial crime allegations brought by Nigeria’s anti-corruption authorities.
Also standing trial are retired major general Mohammed Ibrahim Gana and retired captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor. All defendants in the civilian proceedings have pleaded not guilty.
One of the more striking allegations presented in court involved Zekeri Umoru, an electrician who reportedly worked at Nigeria’s presidential villa.
According to testimony and a recorded interview presented before the Federal High Court, Umoru allegedly told investigators that he had been recruited to help provide access to the presidential complex.
He claimed Ma’aji transferred money to him without fully explaining its intended purpose.
The claims have not been independently verified in court.
Financial allegations emerge
During recent hearings, a military witness alleged that investigators had uncovered financial links between some defendants and Sylva, according to Nigeria’s state-owned News Agency of Nigeria.
‘We found financial trails between Ma’aji, former Governor Timipre Sylva and some of the defendants here before the court,’ the witness reportedly told the court.
The allegations remain contested and have not resulted in a public conviction.
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), declared Sylva wanted in November over a separate alleged case involving the ‘dishonest conversion’ of nearly $14.9m.
Access to the civilian trial has also been restricted, with journalists facing limited entry to proceedings without official explanation.
The dual trials are expected to continue in the coming weeks as authorities continue investigations into one of the country’s most sensitive national security cases in recent years.
