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Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, has said the government will ensure families of military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu are not abandoned.
Mr Musa made the statement during an interview with TRT World, a Turkish broadcaster, to address concerns about the welfare of the detained officers’ dependents.
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“They must have made up their minds when they decided to do this and must have considered their families,” the minister said in the interview aired on Thursday. “But even at that, the government is ensuring that their families are treated fairly.
“Their family members are not left alone. The government is making sure that their wives and children are looked after.”
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He added that the accused officers “already know the repercussions of their action, and I’m sure they are ready to face the wrath.”
The minister’s comments come as families of the detained officers intensify appeals to the presidency for leniency.
According to Daily Trust, relatives of 16 military officers are reaching out to top political and government officials to prevail on President Tinubu to “temper justice with mercy.”
“We know the offence is grave considering the military laws and laws of the land, but these people are our loved ones, we can’t afford to lose them now. In fact, they are breadwinners to their respective families,” a relative of one of the officers told the newspaper.
“We want to use this medium to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to temper justice with mercy. He is our father; he is the father of the nation. We beg him to show mercy to them. We are not saying they shouldn’t be punished, but we don’t want their death now.”
Mr Musa assured that the accused would receive fair trials with access to legal counsel of their choice.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Nigerian security agencies have concluded investigations into the alleged coup plot, with 40 suspects now identified in connection with the conspiracy to overthrow the Tinubu administration violently.
The suspects include senior military officers across the armed forces, a police officer, and civilians allegedly involved in reconnaissance, funding, and propaganda operations.
Intelligence sources said 13 people were apprehended by the State Security Service (SSS), including two military personnel (one retired), one policeman, and 10 civilians, in connection with the alleged plot.
Sixteen military officers were arrested for direct participation, two civilians for reconnaissance, two for being recruited to incite civil disobedience to justify the coup, and five others in connection with funding channels.
One detained soldier escaped custody but was later rearrested by SSS operatives in Bauchi, insider sources told PREMIUM TIMES.
The Defence Headquarters confirmed that the investigation had been completed and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
The military disclosed that findings identified “several officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” describing such conduct as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the coup plotters initially planned to disrupt the handover of power from former President Muhammadu Buhari to President Tinubu on 29 May 2023, during the presidential inauguration.
However, the plan was suspended due to insufficient funds and inadequate logistical arrangements.
The conspirators reactivated their plans in 2025 after Timipre Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State, allegedly transferred nearly N1 billion in multiple tranches to three separate bank accounts operated by a Bureau De Change operator, sources said.
Mr Sylva and a retired officer identified as General Adamu, both accused of bankrolling the coup plotters, remain at large. Mr Sylva confirmed a raid on his house but denied being involved in a coup plot.
The investigation has identified retired Major General Adamu as one of the key figures connected to the network. He remains at large, along with three other suspects.
Intelligence sources disclosed that one of the fleeing suspects was tracked to a country in South America, though his exact location has not been officially disclosed for security reasons.
Multiple security agencies are now working together to dismantle the remaining cells linked to the plot, with ongoing surveillance and cross-border intelligence coordination.
Sources said authorities are awaiting presidential approval to formally constitute a court-martial panel to try the soldiers involved.
More arrests expected
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that 16 military officers were initially arrested for direct participation, but the constitution of a special investigative panel, led by the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Emmanuel Undiandeye, later led to additional arrests.
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“At least 25 military officers and personnel are expected to face trial in connection with the coup attempt,” one source familiar with the investigation said.
An unspecified number of civilians are currently in custody, being held and investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the SSS for alleged roles in financing, logistics, and coordination.
