Military should apologise to Nigerians for initially denying coup plot, says Falana

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says the Nigerian military misled the public on its handling of the alleged coup plot.

The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was reacting to the military’s admission that certain officers would be tried before a judicial panel over an alleged attempt to overthrow the government.

BACKGROUND

The federal government announced in October 2025 that the Independence Day parade scheduled for October 1, to mark Nigeria’s 65th anniversary, had been cancelled.

Days later, reports emerged linking the cancellation to an alleged coup attempt.

The defence headquarters (DHQ) dismissed the reports, insisting that the cancellation was unrelated to any coup plot.

The DHQ also said the arrest of some officers mentioned in the reports had no connection to an alleged attempt to overthrow the government.

On October 31, TheCable reported that 16 military officers were arrested in the first week of the month over the alleged plot, while two others were said to be on the run.

On Monday, the DHQ finally confirmed that there was an alleged plan to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.

Samaila Uba, director of defence information, said investigations conducted in line with established military procedures uncovered the involvement of some personnel.

He added that the affected officers would be arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels.

‘THERE SHOULD BE AN APOLOGY’

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Tuesday, Falana said the military’s latest admission suggests that Nigerians were deliberately misinformed.

The human rights lawyer said the authorities owe Nigerians an apology for the earlier denial, adding that reversing such a sensitive position without acknowledging the initial statement was unacceptable.

“Yesterday, the military authorities ought to have apologised to Nigerians. People in authority must learn to take us seriously as a people,” Falana said.

“If you had made a statement three months ago that there was no coup plot and, in the course of your investigation, discovered that the matter went beyond indiscipline, you ought to have apologised to the Nigerian people.”

Falana said admitting the earlier denial, and offering an apology after confirming the allegations, would have reflected institutional responsibility.

He, however, said he hoped the military would still apologise to Nigerians.

According to him, the detained officers should not be subjected to a court martial because the allegations go beyond issues of discipline.

He said a court martial would only be appropriate if the matter was limited to internal misconduct, adding that allegations of a coup plot amount to treason or treasonable felony — offences that can only be tried before a federal or state high court.

The SAN also criticised the continued denial of access to legal representation for the detained officers, adding that the officers were entitled to meet their lawyers, family members, and medical personnel — rights he said had been withheld.

Falana said up to 42 people had been arrested in connection with the matter, while urging the authorities to release those who have not been formally indicted. (The cable)