Prosper Okoye
Wives and relatives of Nigerian military officers detained over an alleged coup plot have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to allow them access to their husbands and ensure they are either released or brought before a court of law.
The families made the appeal during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, accompanied by human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore. They said the officers had been held for more than 160 days without trial or contact with relatives.
At least 20 wives attended the briefing alongside children, including a two-month-old baby. Among those present were Firdaus Usman, Farida Lawal, Hauwa Aliu, Aisha Sadiq, Hassana Salihu, Fatima Muhammad, Zahra Abba, Khadija A. Hayatu, Helen Sunday, Memuna Bashiru, Aisha Ibrahim, and the infant Ahmad Musajida.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAddressing journalists on behalf of the families, Basir, a spokesperson, described the prolonged detention as a source of “uncertainty and anguish” for their households.
“We stand before you as families, wives, mothers, and relatives, whose husbands and brothers have been in detention for over 160 days without being brought before an open court of law. For more than five months, our families have lived with uncertainty, fear, and unanswered questions,” Basir said.
She added that while allegations against the officers had been widely reported, families had received no official information. “We have watched helplessly as narratives are presented to the public, subjecting our husbands to a media trial. At the same time, some of us have faced intimidation from the very men in uniform who swore to protect Nigerians,” she said.
Basir appealed directly to Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for intervention. “We appeal to Mr President, Bola Tinubu, a father and grandfather, and to Her Excellency the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, a mother, grandmother, and revered pastor, to please look upon our situation with compassion, wisdom, courage and justice. We ask only for what the 1999 Constitution guarantees every Nigerian: that our husbands be treated as innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.”
The families also called on the military to allow them to see their detained relatives. “Grant us access to our husbands. Let us see them and know they are safe and alive,” Basir said.
She questioned inconsistencies in the official narrative surrounding the arrests, noting that initial reports of N12 billion allegedly found in an officer’s account had later been revised to N835 million in a company account. She also highlighted shifting charges, initially described as indiscipline but later reported as conspiracy to commit a coup d’état.
Basir urged that if investigations were concluded, as the military had announced six weeks ago, the officers should be brought before a court immediately. “We do not want secret proceedings or a media trial. If our husbands are guilty, let it be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. But if they are innocent, justice demands that they be set free,” she said.
Adeyanju said that the prolonged detention without access to families or legal representation violated fundamental rights under Nigerian and international law. “The arrests have raised many questions. Members of the families, including elderly parents and children, have not been allowed to see the officers or access lawyers. This is a clear breach of the law,” he said.
Adeyanju also cited historical cases in Nigeria, including allegations of coup plotting against former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua, and Muhammadu Buhari, to stress the need for transparency. He warned that the government should either present credible evidence in court or release the detainees.
Sowore urged transparency and a fair trial for the families. Holding the two-month-old Ahmad Musajida during the briefing, he said: “This child has not seen his father since birth. We must ensure these officers are allowed access to their families and legal counsel. Allegations of a coup do not justify abuse.”
Helen Sunday, one of the wives, said some families had suffered bereavements while the officers remained in detention, citing cases where detained soldiers were unaware of the deaths of their parents.
The appeal comes about a month after a pro-democracy group urged the federal government to release the officers, citing concerns over health and prolonged confinement.
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The arrests date back to October 4, 2025, when then Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, announced that 16 officers had been detained for breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline. An interim investigation later alleged that a network of officers had begun preliminary planning for a coup, targeting senior government officials, including Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Officers reported to be in custody include Brigadier General M. A. Sadiq, Colonel M. A. Maaji, Lieutenant Colonels S. Bappah, A. A. Hayatu, P. Dangnap, M. Almakura, Majors A. J. Ibrahim, M. M. Jiddah, M. A. Usman, D. Yusuf, Captains I. Bello, A. A. Yusuf, Lieutenant S. S. Felix, Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi, Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu, and Major I. Dauda.
AFP could not independently verify the allegations or the number of officers detained.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
